Victor's Death
by urly
Summary: This starts with Peeta and Katniss about to take the nightlock berries and the capital reacts too slowly and they both die. Strangely enough that is not the end of the story. It takes some strange twist before the end.
1. The Berries

**The Berries**

"Trust me. On the count of three," Katniss said as she poured the nightlock berries into my hand. I stared into her gray eyes and knew what she was thinking in a second. Could she be right? Would they choose two victors over no victor?

"One…" she said. I had lost so much blood and I was so weak and cold, nightlock or no nightlock I wouldn't survive much longer. I reached over and gave her lips one last kiss. Her lips were so warm, and her breath on my cheek almost burned. "Two…" I said, parting from her lips. I raised the berries to my lips as slowly as I could. Our mouths opened, "Three." Katniss said. My God, they were not going to stop us, we were going to die. Good-bye Katniss, my one and only love. The berries tumbled into my mouth. Our eyes locked on each other, as I knew the berries were now in both of our mouths. I bit down, the juice bitter on my tongue. I heard Claudius Templesmith blare out, "Stop! Stop! I present to you both winners of the 74th Hunger Games, the tributes from District 12, Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen!" And as we heard the trumpets sound and the crowds scream, we fell together hard. I couldn't see – I was blind – but I still could feel Katniss as we tumbled to the ground. I used the last of my strength to pull her close and feel her warmth one last time, and then it all went black.

I felt I was swimming in an empty black sea. There was no time here to measure, nor was there any land to be found. Slowly, I became aware of sounds, beeps of instruments and hum of lights. I felt the warmth and weight of a blanket on me. I was alive! I struggled to open my eyes.

"Peeta, don't open your eyes," Katniss said into my ear.

"Oh, Katniss you're alive! Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, but please keep your eyes shut."

"Why can't I see you?" I asked.

"Not now. Peeta, we are in a hospital below the training center. The doctors are working on you to make you healthy again." I felt her hand grab hold of mine. Her hand was so warm and soft, it was a shock to my system. She moved her head so close to my face that I could feel her breath against my skin. I could smell her hair. Not the smell of the cave, but like before when she was healthy. I was so relieved that I couldn't help but start crying, the tears rolling down my cheeks. Soon I heard her sobs and felt her tears on my face. "Oh, Katniss I was so afraid you died."

"It's okay, please, Peeta, it's okay. Don't cry anymore. You're making me cry too." She pressed her cheek to mine, and I felt her arms wrap around me, holding me tight. We stayed together like this for a while, until I stopped crying.

"Katniss why don't you want me to see you?" I asked, still curious why she wouldn't let me. I wanted to see her face again so badly.

"Not now. Peeta, I 'm afraid for my family. Do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"If you swear to take care of my family and protect them, I'll never leave you."

"Katniss, there need be no deal. I'll protect them."

"Swear. Swear on your love for me," Katniss insisted.

"I swear." I said.

"Then I swear I'll never leave you. It is done."

"Can I see you now?" I asked.

"No. I'm so tired, I need to sleep." I felt her lift the blanket off me and a cold chill rushed over my body. Then I felt her warm body cuddle next to me. The smell of her body was such a comfort. Her hands lay on my chest and her fingers explored my chest muscles for a minute. "Katniss, why don't you want me to see you?"

"Shh, let us just sleep for a while." The excitement of her being with me, and her promise of staying with me had me so excited. I didn't think I would ever sleep again. For the longest time I lay there enjoying the feeling of her next to me, the rhythms of her breathing, the beating of her heart; this was my heaven. After a while her breathing began to deepen, and she cuddled even deeper as she truly slept. A long time later I finally fell asleep too.

When I awoke, her warmth was gone. I reached around for her, unwilling to open my eyes, knowing she didn't want me to. "Katniss where are you?" I asked. I noticed there was something holding me in the bed, some kind of restraint. "Katniss where are you?" I repeated again and again with an increasing panic. Finally I opened my eyes. I was in a large, round, well lit room with many instruments and no apparent doors. I was on a bed in the middle with a wide restraint around the middle of my body. I was naked except for a sheet on top of me. "Katniss where are you?" I was now yelling, afraid of what had happened. What could have happened?

A door appeared in the wall and Haymitch appeared. He looked almost as bad as the day we first met. He must have been drinking hard again.

"Hey, boy, how are you feeling?" Haymitch said through a fake smile.

"Not bad, but where is Katniss?"

"We will get to Katniss in a minute. I want to talk about you for a minute." He sat down on the bed next to me, but I was persistent. I wouldn't stop asking for her.

"Where is Katniss?" My voice was now rising.

"You were in pretty bad shape when they took you out of the arena. You almost didn't make it.

I was now getting annoyed. He was ignoring the question. "I'll tell you what. Why don't you tell me where Katniss is?" Haymitch looked up into the corner of the room. There must have been a camera there. A look came over Haymitch's face, one I didn't recognize: something dramatic. "Peeta… they couldn't …she is …Peeta, what is the last thing you remember?"

"We were in the arena, we took the berries, they declared us victors, I woke up here, Katniss came and talked to me, and then you came."

Haymitch's face went blank. "Katniss talked to you?"

"She was all worried about her family. I promised to protect them and I held her till I went to sleep."

Haymitch's face looked pained as he said softly, "Peeta, she didn't make it. She was dead before they even reached her." I was in shock. How was that possible? I talked to her. I mean, I didn't see her, but I heard her voice, I felt her body next to mine. He was lying. She wasn't dead!

"NO! NO! NO! She was here! I…I talk to her. I touched her! I could smell her. Hell, I still smell her on these sheets." What did they think they were doing, lying to me? Katniss was alive! I was pulling against the restraint, and with my strength coming from my rage the restraint gave way. I rolled off the bed. I knew I was going to get up, and I was going to kill Haymitch. But instead I fell over to the right, and hard. It was then I notice my right leg ended with a knot of skin held together by some scary looking stitches, a couple of inches below my right knee. All I could do was stare at what used to be my right leg while people rushed around me and stabbed me with needles, and then the world went black.


	2. Picture of Katniss

**Picture of Katniss**

Now they awoke me periodically to offer me food and sent me a psychologist. I didn't eat and I didn't talk. With all the drugs I received and no windows to stare out of I lost track of time, not that it mattered. Nothing mattered anymore.

I was not sure how long this was to go on, but it seemed forever. Sometimes the Avox girl showed up and tried to feed me, sometimes Haymitch and even Effie came by and tried to start a conversation with me. All the drugs they used made me feel so unusual – sometimes I couldn't stop laughing, sometimes I couldn't stop crying, but I never talked.

They fitted me with some weird mechanical leg. I could move the ankle, just like a real ankle, and I did that for a while.

They wanted me to try walking, but I refused.

Then one day Haymitch came to my room. He came to my bed and unhooked my restraints. I sat up on the bed, confused at his intentions.

Haymitch visibly gathered himself up to tower over me. "Well boy, you have decided life isn't worth living. It took you long enough to figure that out. But while you sit there feeling sorry for yourself, I thought I would come and see how much more miserable I could make you. You know, 23 people died terrible deaths in that arena, and they all wanted to live. And the only asshole to make it out doesn't want to live at all. I'll bet they're all getting a laugh at that. Or how about this one – a boy falls madly in love with a girl who couldn't care less and whose only thought is getting home to her sister so she won't starve. I hope you knew that every time she kissed you, I got some poor sap to pay for another parachute, because _she_ knew that. How about, I bet you thought if you both survive she would marry you. You would have a dozen rug rats, and live happily ever after. She never told you she never planned to marry and she definitely never planned to have any children. Romantic love just didn't register with her. Face it, kid, she owed you a debt, and that was you big in with her. Yeah, you're right kid – life _sucks_."

In a moment I was on my feet ready to fight. I started falling over again and again as I tried landing a punch on Haymitch. I just didn't know how to work my new leg.

"Hey boy, maybe if you practiced once in a while with that leg I might be in some kind of danger right about now," Haymitch said as he easily dodged my attacks.

"You are wrong! You are dead wrong! She may not have known her own feelings well, but she loved me, she did!" I yelled.

"Maybe she did, but she is gone now!" Haymitch said with a sudden sad face. With that last verbal blow I lost all my steam and fell to the floor. I just cried my eyes out. Haymitch sat next to me on the floor, put his arm around me and pulled a bottle from his vest. We both sat there sharing the bottle.

"Why am I alive?" I whispered.

"I don't know kid. Hell, I never figured out why I 'm alive." When the bottle was empty he picked me up and helped me back into my bed.

"Boy, I have been a mentor for 24 games and led 47 great kids to their deaths. You are right, life sucks. But boy, you are my first….my first success. You are going to live or I'm going to kill you," Haymitch said with no sign of irony. He left and his words rang in my ears until I understood that it was an offer, not a threat. He wanted me to know I had a way out, if I wanted it. I wondered how many times he had dreamed of a way out.

The night was full of dreams. I dreamt of Katniss. I relived every moment I knew her, every word, and every motion of her face. When I got to the part where she took the berries, there were two of me standing before Katniss. One Peeta was about to take the berries and other Peeta yelled at the first. "Don't let her do it!"

As I awoke, I rolled over. They mustn't have redone the restraint. My arm touched a belly. I felt it rise and fall slowly. I heard someone breathe, and I smelled Katniss's hair. I lay perfectly still, scared that anything I did might break the spell. I was crazy, but right now I didn't care. After a long time I couldn't help myself; my hand started to wander. I felt her little slot of a belly button. My hand moved up to feel her floating ribs and I started counting them.

"You know I'm awake." Katniss said. As my hand shot back to my side.

"Sorry, can I open my eyes?"

"No, please don't," Katniss replied.

"You are just in my head, aren't you?" I asked. It wasn't much of a question. I wanted to believe she was real, that she was here with me, but what Haymitch had told me had changed everything.

She grabbed my hand, laying it on her breast. It was so impossibly soft, but colder than the rest of her, almost chilled. And in the middle of the breast was a little rock hard nipple, slowly moving up and down with each breath.

"Katniss, how is this possible, you are…you are't here."

"I don't know. But Peeta I need you to believe in me, please. Listen, Peeta, I can prove I am who I say I am. Ask someone about when you killed the girl from district 8, by the camp fire. I was there and you didn't know that."

"You saw that?" I said suddenly, ashamed of her seeing me kill.

"I was in a tree right above your heads." Katniss answered.

"Why can't I see you?" I asked.

"I may still be Katniss, but I'm different. I guess I'm technically not human any more, but I'm still Katniss."

"Did you hear what Haymitch said to me?" Katniss rolled away; I wasn't touching her anymore. I could feel her lying on her side on the edge of the bed.

"He said you had faked it. He said you didn't love me, that it all was for the cameras."

Katniss' voice cracked as she answered. "Peeta, what do you want from me? I didn't just offer everything for you, I gave it all. I don't know anything about love. I don't know _how_ to love. Every ounce of my being has been given to keep my family alive; I would do anything to protect them, anything! But in the end, I had a choice to make and I chose to risk them for you. And Peeta, remember I have promised to stay with you forever. What would you call it when someone gives all and promises to stay forever?"

"Love I guess." We just lay there, not talking for the longest time. In my heart I knew she loved me even if she didn't, but it hurt to think she didn't feel the same romantic way about me.

"If we both had survived, you wouldn't have married me, would you?" I asked.

She paused. "No. Haymitch was right. I had already decided never to marry or have children, but Peeta, you and I would always be together in one form or another. Maybe we would be lovers, I'm certain we would be friends, and I would never suffer you any harm." I could hear her crying, but we had both run out of words. After a while, I rolled over and cuddled her. I felt her cool butt? and back. I felt her body jerk as she sobbed. I held her hand and pushed my pillow under her head.

"Please, don't cry anymore." I said.

"Peeta, you need to get out of here. You promised to protect my family. You can't stay here."

"They think I'm crazy, because I talk to a dead girl."

"Peeta, it is still just a game remember, if you don't play along our families will suffer! Please Peeta, just play along, okay?"

I made my peace with my insanity and said, " Okay, I will. I will do my best sane person impersonation, but I want to see you."

"Peeta, you are a good artist, right? I'll tell you what: I will pose for you tonight, late tonight."

We lay there and for a long time and just talked. She told me the true story of Prim and Lady. I told her about how the star-crossed lover bit was my idea, and how Haymitch almost choked to death when I told him what I wanted to do.

Next thing I knew, the Avox girl was trying to wake me. She had a bowl of soup in her hands. Katniss was gone, like she was never here and I guess that was right. Maybe she was just in my head, but it was Katniss in my head, not some imaginary part of me.

After that I started talking to the doctors and eating the food. Later I asked them to help me practice with my new leg. The nurses and doctors seemed content, and I even joked a little with them.

An hour later I asked one of the doctors for charcoals and a large pad of drawing paper, to give me something to do. When he came back I drew his picture for him and then I drew all the nurses. They all got a kick out of it, but I was really practicing to draw Katniss. I couldn't wait to see Katniss!

Then a nurse came by and turned out the lights. I felt so excited. Katniss had only appeared when I was about to wake up, so I tried to get some sleep. But how could I when I was so eager? Lying there in the dark, I argued with myself.

Part of me said Katniss must have been a dream or an illusion. She was just part of me, but I couldn't convince myself. I lay there counting and counting until I finally fell asleep somewhere above 900.

I woke with a start. The room was deep black and I could only see a few blinking lights from the instruments. I could feel someone moving around in my room, and something moving in front of the lights.

"Katniss, is that you?" I asked, but there was no reply. I could feel a cool breeze on my back and I shivered. When I gazed into the dark, I could barely make out two eyes looking back. Slowly, I could make out a face behind the eyes.

"Hi, Peeta. Are you ready to draw me?" Katniss' voice seemed to drift across the room.

"My God, I had forgotten how beautiful you were." Katniss did a small roll of her eyes. "Peeta, you are always trying to sweet talk me. Just draw my picture." I really couldn't see what she was wearing – only her face was in sight. I pulled over what I guessed was a heart monitor and used its feeble light to see the charcoals and paper. I started drawing immediately.

"You never trusted me did you? You always thought what I said was a trap, didn't you?" I said as my hands carefully started drawing.

"Yes, at first. Well, I guess for a long time I felt that way. I certainly didn't believe you loved me from the time you were 5 years old."

"But you believe me now, right?"

"Yes, Peeta I finally see you as you really are." We talked for hours as I worked on my drawing. When morning came I found I had fallen asleep, but the picture was done. Looking at the picture I couldn't believe the work of art I had created. It was more exquisite than anything I had ever done. Katniss in the picture wasn't the starving girl I knew in the cave, but the healthy girl I knew before. She seemed so strong, intelligent, and determined in the picture.


	3. Crowning the Victors

**The story so far.**

Peeta is a Victor, but the doctors tell him he lost his leg to an infection. They say he lost Katniss to nightlock poison and that he lost his mind to grief. On the other hand, doctors wont tell him how they saved him from an incurable poison, which should have fried his brain, or why they couldn't do the same for Katniss. The Katniss only Peeta can see or hear says the all are lying.

Peeta doesn't know if he is sane or not, or what really happened, but he knows what he is going to do. Peeta is going to take on the whole Panem and protect Katniss family, just like he promised Katniss he would. Panem doesn't know it yet, but an old evil has returned, and they are all in danger.

**Crowning the Victors**

Over the course of the next few days I looked so normal it was scary. I still needed a cane, but I was getting around pretty well. I told the doctors I knew Katniss was dead and, while I was still very sad, I knew I would survive. They all seemed very pleased with me and my efforts to recover.

Soon the day for the ceremony had arrived and Portia showed up with a black suit for me. It was really a lovely suit. I was so glad that it was a somber color that fit my mood and didn't force me to act like things were normal. In keeping with the fire theme, it had some marvelous sheen on it that flashed yellow and red in direct light.

My crew, along with Portia, went to the training area and caught an elevator leading to the penthouse. The whole place seemed empty – no guards, no trainers, and no tributes. In the penthouse they prepared me. After I put on my suit, I sneaked into Katniss' old room and just looked around, only to find there was nothing of hers in the room.

We went to the stadium for the Victory Ceremony. As I walked down the long, dark hall underneath the stage I could hear the roaring of the crowd.

At the end of the hall Haymitch was waiting for me. His face changed when he saw the somber expression on my face and he knew I was in no mood for an upbeat message.

Haymitch took my shoulders and said, "Peeta, you gave it your all, you held nothing back, and the fact that Katniss didn't make it is not your fault. Don't become like me. Don't let your losses haunt you. I'm sure Katniss would have liked to think your knowing her somehow made you stronger."

"Katniss did make me stronger. I know you are worried about me and you think I have become unhinged, but it isn't so. Remember I was one of the weakest to enter the arena, I was the one who knew he wouldn't make it, yet here I stand. I survived over them all because I wasn't even thinking of myself. I was driven by love, and that is much stronger than fear."

Haymitch grabbed me and whispered in my ear, "Peeta, you and Katniss have become some kind of fascination with the people and the President doesn't like it. I'm not sure what you should do, but be on your guard, okay?"

Instead of letting go he paused for a long time, then, "Peeta, you should know… they operated on your brain. When I first saw you, you still had the scars. I 'm not sure what they did but all your original doctors are dead now. One of the nurses told me what they did to save you was illegal, but she didn't say what it was." He let go of me and quickly turned and went down the hall. He didn't want to give me a chance to say anything.

Above me I could hear the anthem play and Caesar greeting the crowds. I searched the dark corners of the hall, half-expecting Katniss' gray eyes to peer out. Then I heard my prep team being announced and the roaring of the crowd. I had a nervous feeling and in my head I called for Katniss to come.

Then Effie was announced and the crowd's chanting grew even louder. _Please, Katniss, I need you with me, this is going to be so hard_. I then heard them call Haymitch and the crowd stomped and screamed, positively shaking my bones. I heard a speaker in the hall telling me to prepare, and I centered myself on the elevator.

My knees were shaking and I leaned even harder on my cane.

The elevator started up and I thought I would throw up. The elevator broke through the trap doors onto the set, where Caesar shouted my name. The crowd went wild. It was a bright summer's day and the huge crowds stretched out before the stage.

There were so many people, thousands just lining up from the stage back. As I took my first step, the one lone dark cloud moved over the sun and the stage went dark. Between my shaking knees and my nausea, I moved slowly, leaning hard on my cane. To those in the audience I must have looked like an old man. My jet black suit made it hard to see, but every time a light hit the suit, great licks of red and yellow fire jumped across the suit.

As I hobbled across the stage, I heard more and more of the clapping end. I missed my mark where I should have turned to sit and walked slowly to the very edge of the stage. I stared out over the crowd, half-expecting to see Katniss in the crowd. I scanned their faces and they just stopped cheering. I finally turned around and sat in my chair just as the cloud passed and once again the day was luminous.

Though it was not on purpose, I knew from now on this whole day, which Snow meant to be a celebration, was going to be a wake. When they began the review tape I knew I was in for three hours of pure pain.

They started at the beginning with the reaping, the parade, and the training. Every tribute received some screen time, but Katniss and I had the lion's share. For the first time I saw all that Katniss went through before the rules change, and sure enough there she was in the tree when I killed the girl from District 8.

Maybe I was not so crazy after all. I also saw how I tried to mislead the careers about Katniss' abilities and strategy, me fighting Cato to protect Katniss, and my retreat to the river. So even though I was the Victor, my own story kept pointing back at Katniss. She became the center of the story.

Watching Katniss and Rue join together was very hard, because I knew how it would end. Rue really had been a beautiful child. I had to say watching, the explosion that destroyed all the Career's supplies was the best part, and got a lot of crowd applause. When we arrived at Rue's death and Katniss' beautification of the body I was so proud of Katniss that it almost overcame the sadness of the moment. The crowd got noticeably quiet during this whole section.

The cave scenes were next, which brought back so many memories. I had to fight not to cry. When I saw what Katniss had to go through to get me the medicine, I really thought I was about to lose it.

When Cato died the filmmaker did something new, something radical – he started cutting away to groups of people in the city. From there, the screen split with random groups of people on one side and our story on the other. For the first time, I saw the sheer joy many had when it seemed we had won. People where hugging one another and all the young girls were crying.

And then they showed the rule change and you could see everyone stop, as if the whole city was holding its breath. I couldn't believe the government allowed these images and I became concerned for the life of the film's editor. It was almost over when the most anguishing part came. The crowd was noticeably quiet when we relived the last moments of Katniss' existence.

When it showed us putting the berries in our mouths, it seemed as if the whole city was screaming at their screens. Claudius announced us both as the winners. We both fell together and you could see me pull her close. We ended up looking like we were just spooning each other on the ground, both obviously dead.

They came to retrieve our bodies and you could see the doctors in the shuttle, working on our bodies. Katniss and I were on two beds, side by side, as dozens of doctors buzzed around us.

You could see the head doctor's mouth and read his lips as he said, "I'm calling it. At 11:22 they are both dead." Claudius announced that we were both dead. The screen went blank, and on our side there were a series of images of people just staring at their screens in terrified shock.

Then Claudius came on the screen and announced, "Peeta Mellark is alive and is the 74th annual Hunger Games victor!" I had never seen anything like it. I didn't think anyone had. I was dead…I was dead for something like an hour. What happened in that hour?

_Katniss, where are you? Why did you let me go through this alone? I feel so alone up here._

When I stood up at the end of the film the whole crowd stood up with me. The anthem sounded again, and from behind the stage came President Snow, followed by a small girl with a crown on a pillow. He greeted the crowd and placed the crown on my head. At first I saw the anger in his eyes as he forcibly placed the crown on my head.

As he looked into my eyes he saw something, I didn't know what, but suddenly I could see the fear in his eyes as he almost stumbled back. He presented me to the crowd and quickly as possible, left the stage.

I knew from President Snow's actions that I would need allies. I would need to use every bit of my charm and every bit of the people's sympathy to get through this. If I was going to protect the Everdeen family, I would have to make the option of attacking me politically impossible.

Maybe if I acted strong enough he would seek me out as an ally. We would see. I had come up with a terrible scheme. I would have to manipulate the people's better feelings and convert Katniss from a person into a symbol.

After the show I asked for Effie to get my picture of Katniss, and with it in hand we went to the presidential mansion for the Victor's Banquet. At the banquet everyone wanted to talk to me and get their picture with the new Victor, as they do every year. But unlike every other year, they also gave their condolences. It all had the air of a funeral.

I did the best I could to work the crowd and charm each one the best I could. I measured each up as fast as possible, so I didn't waste time with people who had no influence, and when I thought they could be useful Effie made a note.

Most of the people came and went, but a group of women formed that just hung around me. In the group I discerned two different types, those who were mourning Katniss and who really wanted to have her bravery and determination, and those whose heart broke for the star-cross lover survivor. It was also obvious that many of them thought my story was so romantic they couldn't resist me. The hunger in some of their faces was disturbing. I hoped I won't have to play that card.

Eventually I met Livia Stone, who seemed to be the pinnacle of society from the others' reaction to her. She was an elderly woman in a dark purple dress, so dark it almost looked black. We began conversing about art, of which she was an obvious admirer and a major patron.

I brought out my picture of Katniss and shared it with her. She fell all over herself to praise it. She offered to set up a show for my artwork whenever I was ready. Livia sent her servant to get a frame for the picture and a stand.

As soon as the picture was up people started gathering around it. Without any planning or forethought, things began to happen. People started placing flowers all around the picture, and someone got a big piece cardboard and placed it next to the picture. People started writing small notes on it. Some of the notes were simple condolences; others were notes on their favorite memory of Katniss. Many mentioned her bravery in the reaping and in the game. Some talked of her beauty in the parade and interview.

When I finally told Effie I was too tired to continue, the sun had just risen below the horizon. In just a couple of hours we would be preparing for the interview with Caesar.

Katniss had not made an appearance all day and I began wonder if something was wrong, or if something was somehow right. Maybe I was under some kind of delusion, and it suddenly disappeared. But if it was a delusion, it was one hell of a delusion.

We returned to the 12th floor of the training center, just one last time. I told Effie I wished to sleep only a couple of hours and I that I wished to sleep in Katniss' old bed. Effie's eyes watered and she embraced me.

Then,she handed me Katniss' Mockingjay pin. "I was going to take this back to Katniss' family, but I think it would be better if you gave it to them."

"Thanks, it ...well, thanks."

I went into Katniss' old bedroom, holding the pin tightly in one hand, and lay down in the dark. "Please Katniss, please talk to me." I whispered to the room. I needed to fall asleep. I lay there as still as possible, counting in my head. Many hours later Effie came in to tell me we needed to prepare for the interview. I had not slept at all.


	4. Render on to Caesar

**Render on to Caesar**

In our living room I saw the technicians set up for the interview. I held my picture of Katniss in its new frame and set it down by the chair that I was to sit in. Caesar soon came by to shake my hand and he sat down in the other chair. The director started his count down. The camera's lights came on.

"Peeta, I think I can truly speak for the whole of Panem when I both congratulate you for winning and send our condolences for your loss." Caesar began.

"Thanks Caesar. So many people have said the same thing to me in the last couple of days and I would like to publicly thank them all here if you don't mind."

Caesar laid his hand on my arm and said, "I think everyone in Panem wants to know first how you are faring."

"I have been and will always be deeply wounded, and I don't believe these wounds will ever truly heal. What I don't think everyone understands is that wounds can help you, make you stronger, wiser, more determined. I have now inherited Katniss' strength; I suspect many people will be astonished by how she has improved me."

"I was told that you have something you want to show me." I pulled out Katniss' picture and gave it to Caesar, who then turned it toward the camera. The effects on Caesar were dramatic; his eyes turned red and watery and seemed to be on the verge of tears. "Wow, this is Katniss as I remember her, as I think we all remember her, as she was on my show just weeks ago. You did this while you were in the hospital, from memory?"

"Yes, it was the first thing I wanted to do. I just…had to see her again." Caesar called for a glass of water and the make-up people tried to rush in and fix his make-up, but he shooed them away. Someone brought forth a stand for the picture and Katniss' picture spent the rest of the interview between us.

"A lot of people in Panem were confused by the end of the game – first one Victor, then they announce two Victors, then there was to be no Victors, then announced you as the one Victor. Panem has never seen anything like it. And then this whole thing about you being dead for an hour. Can you help us explain any of that?"

"Not really, but I can tell you there was a great battle of wills going on. On one side I was willing Katniss to live and on the other Katniss was willing me to live. Katniss, I'm afraid, always wins."

The rest of the interview went well. We spent a lot of the time talking about what Katniss did and how special she was, which was just what I wanted.

When we talked about me we talked about how hard I had worked to keep her alive. I came off as a saint and Katniss as a modern Joan of Arc. It was amazing. The only disappointment was my thinking about the people who really knew Katniss and them watching this, feeling her memory being used, which it was.

I just hoped the Everdeen family understood why I was doing this.


	5. Marcus's War

**Marcus's War**

Far away in a fortress, hidden beneath a ruin city, an army prepares for another war. Some of it solders were already fighting in the districts and even the Capital in a secret war, of spies and saboteurs. One of District's 13s star spies was Marcus Lef who was now home for a while recovering from his last mission.

Alone in an office, Marcus's legged itched, it itched something terrible. He was trying to get a pencil down the side of the cast, when he lost his grip. Now he had to find a way to get the pencil out!

Marcus had just survived a six month running of agents in the Capital, and was glad to be alive. District 13 was losing agents in horrible numbers. Right now the odds of being alive after 6 months was only 60%. But his injuries jumping from a train, had saved his life and put him behind a desk, until he healed. So a couple of months doing boring paper work 300 feet below the surface of the earth, was alright with him, if his leg would just stop itching.

At some point while trying to dig the pencil out, he got the feeling he was being watched, he looked up to see Major Clemens looking down at him perplexed.

"I have some work for you, you are a history buff right?", Major Clemens said.

As I tried to stand up and solute, I said. "Yes sir, I have a master's in history."

By this time most Majors would have my butt in a sling, but I knew Major Clemens and he didn't care much for formalities if you could get the job done. "What do you know about the great war?", he said.

Good, he must have something better then paperwork for me. "My thesis was on the battle for Atlanta."

"Good, our agents in the Capital just filed a report, saying that some Capital doctor has re-invented a monster from the old world."

"A monster?"

"I hope this is nothing, but I want you to run it down."

"What kind of monster, one of Snow's mutants? What did he do now cross a lion, and viper, or something like that?"

"No we are talking about what my grandmother use to scare kids to bed with. It may not be their official name, but she called them banshees. God help us."


	6. The Long Ride Home

**The Long Ride Home**

After the interview with Ceasar, me, Effie, and Haymitch are taken to train to return home.

After getting on the train I went directly to bed and tried to get some sleep. I just lay in the dark looking for gray eyes in the dark corners of the room. For hours I just lay there. After a while I got up and wandered around. It was the same cabin we had used on the way to the Capital. I found the hole Katniss created in the mahogany wood top of the table and just sat there playing with it. Feeling the hole I could picture that morning so perfectly, every detail. It seemed so much more real than what I am experiencing now.

The idea popped into my head that her body must be on this train. Somewhere here is a box with Katniss in it. I started tramping all over the train looking for her coffin. I met porters in the hallways and asked each one where Katniss's body was. None of them seemed to know. Finally I met one who thought he knew where the body would be. He led me to a crate-filled room of one train car. Together we looked over each crate until I found one marked "Katniss Everdeen in care of District 12 Affairs Office, NOT TO BE OPENED". I sent the porter away with a huge tip. Part of me wanted to open the box and part of me just wanted the box to go away. I sat down on the floor and leaned on her crate, I wished I had a stiff drink.

"Why am I alive? We took the same poison at the same time and you were in better shape. I told you I wanted to die. I had accepted that fate. I had made my peace with my death as long as you lived. Why couldn't you just let me die?" My hands covered my face in despair.

I heard, "Get up!" At least I think that is what I heard, I was not sure. Could it be Katniss? Why would she be telling me to get up? I tried to picture her in the room, watching me, and in an instant I knew what was going on. If Katniss were here she would have been sick to her stomach watching me wallowing in my self-pity. Wow, I hadn't thought about that, I am sharing every moment of the rest of my life with her. So much for self-pity.

"Okay, Katniss I think I get the message. But if you are going to take my privacy away, I want your company in exchange, okay?" I waited but nothing happened. "Hey, Katniss, I'm getting the feeling I'm talking to an empty room." I waited some more. "Damn, I'm crazy."

Okay, assuming my getting drunk and crying myself to sleep was not an option what should I have been doing now? I needed sleep. I hadn't slept in two days. On my way to my cabin I started thinking about what was going to happen when we reached District 12. There had never been a victor in District 12 during my lifetime. So I guessed there would be a lot of celebrations, speeches, and people wanting my time. But I needed to talk to the Everdeens. I would have to somehow sneak into District 12 and talk to Katniss' mother and sister.

I started hunting for the porter I had overpaid. When I found him I asked to be taken to the train's engineer. The porter led me to the first train car and hit the intercom.

My porter said, "Hey guys, you'll never guess who I got here, who wants to talk to you."

"It better be an official. You know we aren't allowed to bring people up here," rang back from the intercom.

"It's Peeta Mellark the Victor."

The door opened and a very young man in a gray outfit stuck his head out. "My God, he is right, it is Peeta. Come on in."

The control room was small and covered with all kinds of controls and screens, and in the middle were two seats for the engineers. The one engineer was still sitting watching a screen. He turned around. "Holy shit, Peeta Mellark, I knew you were on board but I didn't expect to meet you." We shook hands all around.

"Guys I've a problem and maybe you could think of a solution. Tomorrow about 2 pm we are scheduled to be in District 12 and I expect there is going to be a huge crowd to meet me. The problem is I really want to talk to Katniss' family alone before dealing with the crowd. Do you have any ideas?"

"Oh wow, man, I was so sorry to hear about Katniss. You know we all thought both of you would make it. So what you need is for us to get into the district early. We could press the engines and get there faster, but we have the Mississippi stop to make too and it will have to be on time."

The other man, who had let us in, chimed in. "Couldn't we call ahead and see if anyone is getting on or off at Mississippi stop? Most of the time no one does in this direction."

A couple of calls later they agreed that they could get into the district a full hour before anyone expected us.

"Thanks, guys, I owe you big time. All three of you guys can consider yourself invited over to my house for supper. Just give me a month to set up my new house and then come over anytime you want"

They all agreed I was very generous and I headed back to my cabin. I started thinking I would need to court everyone I could from now on. Every person high and low might be needed from here on out if I had really made President Snow my enemy.

I visited with Effie and told her what I was doing and to let Haymitch and the rest of my crew know what was happening. I would have told Haymitch but I highly suspected he was too drunk for my words to get through.

When I finally got to my bed I was beyond tired. I fell into my bed with my clothes on and instantly fell asleep.

"Peeta, wake up," Katniss said.

"Katniss, please I'm so tired. I've done everything I can today for you and your family. Besides, you have ignored me for almost two days, just let me sleep."

"Peeta, please wake up. It wasn't my fault I haven't talked to you."

I rolled over and say, "Well whose fault was it then?"

"Yours. As far as I can tell you are in charge of when I can appear."

That got my attention. "How am I controlling it, then?"

"I don't know. But many times I say things and you don't seem to hear me. It is really very annoying.", says Katniss.

That got me to thinking. "Did Snow see you?"

"I think so, at least by his reaction."

"Has anyone else seen you?"

"I think the Avox girl saw me sometimes," said Katniss.

"So you think I can make you visible to me or other people at will?"

"It seems that way."

"I'll have to think about that,." I said.

"Peeta, that isn't what I want to talk about. Tomorrow you will be back in the district and you will see my family. I want you to give them some messages."

"Did you write some messages?"

"No. I meant to but I didn't write anything before the games. I'.ve a hard time putting my ideas on paper."

"Katniss, if I pen letters for you they will know it isn't your handwriting."

"I'll help you fake my hand style. Please, Peeta, this is may be my last chance to talk to them."

"Okay, but you owe me a kiss.." I felt Katniss' warm soft lips on my lips for one long, tender kiss, which made me just melt.

"I'm going to open my eyes, okay?" and before me was Katniss, just the way I remembered her, sitting on my bed with our training outfit on. "Let us figure out what you want to say first and then figure some way to fake your handwriting."

I had thought faking the hand writing would be the hard part, but I had never tried to get Katniss to express herself before. We started with her mother and it was soon very obvious she had many issues with her. Trying to get her to forgive her mother even just on paper was horrible. I had to have her tell me a dozen stories of her early childhood just to get her in touch with the love she had felt for her mother. It was very hard on Katniss and she cried a lot, but we finally got her to forgive her mother on paper and express her love and admiration one last time. We added a section to explain how Katniss and I had promised to adopt each other's families should one or the other survive. I tried to get her to talk about her funeral but she wouldn't even talk about it.

For Prim things went much easier. Mostly I worked with her on telling Prim how proud Katniss felt of herself that she could do this for Prim, and how she thought Prim was worth this sacrifice.  
Strangely enough I was the one who believed in an afterlife, not Katniss, so I put words in her mouth about believing she would go to a better place if she died.

After Prim Katniss thought she was finished, but I insisted she add a section for Gale. Of course I had seen her and Gale together many times, and I had to confess my fear and jealousy. She did not want to talk of Gale in front of me and she obviously wasn't even sure how she felt. Again I had to have her tell me a couple of Gale stories before she could feel her own feelings. We penned a section of her admiration and thankfulness to him. In it she told him how knowing him had made her stronger and better able to face this challenge.

I have to say by the end we were both crying. I learned so much about her that night, I was amazed and so terribly in love with her again.

Then we spent hours trying to rewrite it in her handwriting. She was constantly writing the words with her finger on my back as I wrote test versions of each paragraph. When she was happy with my fake I added it to the actual letter.

When we were finally done I felt so worn out it was as if I were back in the games again. Katniss and I lay down side-by-side all cuddled up and quickly fell asleep.


	7. Home Again

**Home Again**

In the morning I heard the porter knocking on my door. When I opened my eyes there was Katniss sleeping right next to me and my heart melted.

"Mr. Mellark, we'll be in the station in about an hour," the porter said through the door.

"Thanks," I said. That woke Katniss, who smiled at me. "Good morning, Katniss," I said.

"Good morning. What are you staring at?"

"You, you're just so beautiful and …. well I love waking to your face." That made Katniss blush. I asked Katniss to turn around and I got dressed. When I turned around she was dressed in the same simple blue dress she had worn on reaping day.

"Katniss, your promise to stay was me was a little hollow, wasn't it? You can't leave me, can you?"

"I don't know. Maybe I can, maybe I can't, but I do know I don't want to," Katniss said.

Waking to Katniss and hearing that she wanted to stay put the first real smile on my face since the end of the games. I pushed away all thoughts of what I had to do today for a while, and just tried to live in that moment. When I finally turned to go for the door Katniss disappeared and I struggled to keep the image of her in my head.

After a quick breakfast I noticed that we were a full hour and half early, so my train engineer friends had done well. Looking out the window I saw the familiar green hills of home and for the first time I noticed how much I had missed them. For my whole life these green hills have looked down on me and somehow I had always thought they were protecting me, so I was so glad to be in their company again.

When the train stopped I jumped off and quickly left the train yard, afraid someone might recognize me. I flagged down a truck leaving the station.

"Could you give me a ride into town?" I asked old man in blue work clothes driving an old truck.

"You're Peeta!" he says.

"Yeah, I need to get down into the seam. Do you know where the Everdeen's house is?" I repeat.

"You aren't supposed to be here till 2. They all got a big party planned for you," the old man says.

"Don't worry, I'll get back for their party. Do you know where the Everdeen's house is?"

"Sure, I can take you there. You want to talk to Katniss's mother and sister, don't you? I'm so sorry for you. We all cried here about Katniss. I knew her father, you know. He saved my life along with 4 others guys the day he died. Yeah, I can take you."

He drove me down into the seam. Out the window I saw all the familiar images of District 12, and somehow after seeing the Capital the sheer poverty seemed overwhelming. So many people walking around in old clothes and they all were far too skinny. Soon we were in front of the Everdeen's shack of a house and I bid my driver goodbye.

I was almost to the door before I thought of what I was going to say. I felt my nerves creep up and I felt the urge to run away. To steady myself I pictured Katniss asleep in my bed this morning again, and I knocked on the door. When the door opened I saw the shocked face of Gale.

"Peeta!" Gale said.

"Can I come in?"

From inside the house I heard a woman's voice, "Who is it?"

"It's Peeta Mellark,., Gale said as he moved aside and I came in.

Inside I found Katniss's mother and sister sitting around a small wooden table holding hands. Both their eyes have bags and are very red. As I entered their eyes widened with surprise. I sat at the table and grabbed Katniss's mother's hand.

I stared into Katniss mother's eyes and said, "I'm so sorry. I did everything I could think of to bring home Katniss. Please forgive me."

"Why do you need to be forgiven?" she asks.

"She died trying to save me. If she had just killed me you would have your daughter today."

Katniss' mother was obviously speechless and just gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. On the other side of me I heard Gale pull up a chair and sit at the table.

"You loved her didn't you?" Katniss's mothers asked.

"Yes, I've loved her for years. I always dreamed I would one day marry her."

"Did she really love you?"

I turned to Gale and said, "I believe in my heart she did, but I know she herself was never sure of her feelings." And I was glad to see Gale accept what I say.

"I've a letter Katniss wrote before the game." I handed the letter to Katniss's mother. "The letter will explain that I promised to Katniss to adopt you two if I survived. I plan to do just that. As far as I'm concerned you two are family now, and I want you to come live with me in the Victor's Village, and help me deal with all of this."

"I don't know," Katniss's mother said.

"Read the letter and think about it, but no matter what you decide I already consider you family. Everything I have is yours. I'll need to get back to the train station soon. I'm afraid many other people here expect to see me at 2. Here, Prim, is the mocking jay pin,." I said as I handed Prim the pin. Prim said nothing. She seemed to be in shock.

As I was about to exit the front door I grabbed Gale by the arm. "Gale, go to the bakery and ask for a job and I will make sure my dad hires you and teaches you how to be a baker."

Gale seemed surprise as he says, "I don't know about being a baker."

"Think of your family. You will make enough money to take care of them all and never have to enter those coal mines. My father will need you because he is losing me. I know Katniss loved you too. I spent years being jealous of you, but that is all over and I want the best for you, because that is what Katniss would have wanted."

As I turned to leave Gale grabbed my arm. "Those interviews, you're playing some kind of game with the Capital, aren't you?"

"Yes. I can't say much now, but with the Capital things …. are, well, complicated. When things don't go the way they expect other people must pay a price."

Gale showed some fear as he said, "You sure you want to bring them into the middle of that?"

"Physically close or not everyone I know or care about is going to have a target on them. My fame is the only reason you or they are still alive. If I thought putting them far from me or ignoring them would make them safer I would do just that." I replied.

When I left the man with the truck was waiting for me.

"You waited all that time for me?" I said.

"You said you had to go back to the train station. How are they doing?"

"They are built of strong stuff, these Everdeens, but they are suffering. Don't you have some work you're supposed to be doing?"

The old man's face went grim as he said, "I also have some debts to pay to the Everdeens and to you too, I think."

He drove me back and when I got there I could see the crowd already forming around the train. I sneaked into the front of the train, made my way back to my cabin and changed into one of my black suits. I didn't need the cane anymore, but I'd gotten use to carrying it. I grabbed Effie on the way out and asked her to stand beside me as I greeted the people. Effie and I made our way to the back of the train. If I had thought Haymitch was awake I would have grabbed him too. At 2 Effie and I walked out the back of the train to greet the people. It looked like the whole district had shown up. There were thousands of them. Way up in front I noticed the mayor, my parents, and my brothers Adrian and Breen. My old group of friends stood near the front: Thomas, Ray, Alfie, Madge, and Delly. Out in the crowd I saw old teachers, fellow students, old customers, and so many others. I waved to them all and called many of them out by name. The mayor got up and made a short speech and then I made a very short speech. I told everyone how happy I was to be back and how much I was going to love to talking to everyone. And lastly, I asked everyone to give Katniss a moment of silence. During the silence everyone put up the three finger salute, and I was so proud of these people. I spent the next couple of hours shaking the hands of as many of the people as I could. I was determined to charm them to death. A few of the dumber people told me they had always thought I would be the Victor. I was proud of myself for not saying anything back. Most gave me condolences for Katniss. None of them told me that they had bet on Katniss, though I expect a lot of them did.

When I got through talking to everyone, I pulled Effie aside.

"Effie, I want you to talk to the Mayor and get the keys for my house in the Victor's Village."

"Which house?", Effie said.

"When I was a kid I would sneak into the Victor's Village sometimes, so I've already picked the Victors Village house for me. There is a brick house with a veranda two doors down from Haymitch on his left. Get the keys and put all my stuff in the house. If you want you can stay there too. I myself will not get there until late tonight."

My family waited for me to finish with the crowd, and then they all congratulated me and we started home to prepare for that night's party in my honor. As we traveled home my mother did most of the talking, about how much she had suffered with worry over me. When we got home I told my whole family I was moving into the Victor's Village that night. This started an argument with my mother about how unkind I was. She tried to draw my dad into the argument and he tried to disappear into the wallpaper, as did my two brothers. I hugged my Father and apologized for the troubles I was causing him, and told him I loved him. I told my two brothers the same, but I added they were welcome to all the possessions I didn't take that night. Finally I tell my mom what I had been waiting my whole life to say, "I love you, from you I received life and from you I learned a lot about how fear can ruin a life." Her face turned deep red with anger, as it had so many times before, but this time she didn't hit me. Somehow she knew I would hit back today. And before I went upstairs to pack what I would take, I told them all they are welcome in my house, as long as they understand it is my house and I'm its master. As I went upstairs I felt a great weight being lifted from me as I would at last be free of the drama my mother presents.

Back in my old room I started packing up all my personal items in a few small boxes. It was amazing how little stuff there was. I picked up a baseball and thought, tomorrow is Saturday, which means baseball with my friends normally. What do you think are the chances they will show up tomorrow and ask if I can play? And here are my school books Do you think anyone is going ask where I am if I don't show up Monday in school? Will they ask for the books back? I had been making straight 'A's this year in school. Do you think anyone is going to ask for the homework? And all these work clothes, ready for me to work in the bakery, should I bring them? And here is my best outfit, which likely is worth less than the socks I am currently wearing. Every month there was a dance at the school and I would wear this each time. I don't think I will go to any more school dances. In my mirror I see a 16-year-old boy and it shocks me as my mind tells me my youth has just disappeared.

There were hundreds of pictures I had drawn around my room and many of them were of Katniss. My dream was always that I would figure some way to talk to her, she would fall madly in love with me, and we would marry. In my fantasy we would have a long and peaceful life with me having my own bakery and many kids. Well I guess she and I might have a long life together, but there will be no marriage, no children, and I guess no physical love.

Who is this boy in the mirror? I don't recognize him. Does this boy have a dead girlfriend he talks to every morning? And did this boy just get through killing several people? And is this boy taking on the whole government and President Snow? Who the hell is this boy and what is his relationship to me?

"Katniss, if you're here I so wish you would just give me a hug. I feel so alone here," I said. It crossed my mind to get drunk and try and cry this sadness out of me, but I tried to remember I must be strong, I must be strong for my dead girlfriend is watching. The things I do for my dead girlfriend.

I took the boxes outside, called some kids from down the street, gave them a little money, and told them to take the stuff to my new Victor's house.

Later that night I attended a big party in my honor in the center of town. There was food, drink, music, and dancing. I sat in the middle of a big table, in the center of it all, and did my best to be charming to all the people who came to congratulate me and give their condolences. I was the subject of many toasts and speeches, and I answered each with as much wit as I could muster.

When I finally left the party it was very late. Someone I didn't know drove me to the Victor's Village, which was good. I'd had too much wine. In front of the house I saw what a handsome house it is. It is huge, mostly brick, surrounded by a large wood veranda, two stories tall, and all lit up. The house was built over 74 years earlier on orders of the Capital and constantly maintained even though no one had ever lived in it. Several times I had sneaked around this house over the years, so I knew it was fully furnished and ready to go. Years ago I had fantasized about owning this house, but now my mind was racing about all I had to do. The door was unlocked and I entered. I saw the huge living room with its beautiful natural stone fireplace on one wall and a stairs off to one side. I didn't see Effie, I was not sure if she was there or not. My guess was the master bedroom was upstairs, so I went up and looked around until I found a large bedroom. It had the largest bed I'd ever seen, with four huge dark wood posts which reached the ceiling. I just turned off the lights and flopped into bed. There I lay for hours, unable to sleep. The last time I looked it was 5 am and I was still awake.

"Peeta, morning," Katniss said, so I guess I did fall asleep.

I opened my eyes and Katniss was lying in my bed in her blue reaping dress.

"Did I do good?"

"Yes, Peeta you did good. Seeing my family tore me apart, but I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."

"You never did much for me, just save my life a couple of times and give me a reason to live," I said.

Katniss got a smile that just filled her face, and slowly gave me a long, lingering kiss.

We spent the next couple of hours planning what we could do together. I explained to her how I planned to stay in people's minds and hearts to keep Snow from touching us. Part of the plan would be to use my art to promote her as a great tragic heroine. Katniss didn't like the idea because she couldn't imagine anyone would go for it. Then I suggested that she could be the ultimate spy.

Katniss finally got excited, "Yes, I can walk right into the mayor's office or the peace keepers building and no one can stop me!"

"With the knowledge you get we'll be able do all kinds of things no one else can. How far can you travel from me?"

"I'm not sure. When you were in the hospital I tried to go up to the 12th floor once and I started to feel very weird."

"So maybe I'll have to get near the buildings we want to spy on, but still I think this is great idea!"

Also, I thought I should be able to control when she could appear. I just had to figure out what state of mind I needed to be in. So I resolved to meditate on this as often as I could.

The next day my door bell rang for the first time, and when I got to the threshold there was Effie. I welcomed her in with my best manners, because I knew how much it meant to her. We sat in the living room and I offered to make her some tea or coffee.

"Peeta, I'm sorry but I'm being called back to the Capital. I don't know why. Normally after the games I'm given some time off, but this year they want me back right away." Effie's voice started to crack as she said, "You and Katniss were just great, you were my little pearls."

I gave her a hug and promised to stay in contact. Then she left.


	8. Looking for Monsters

**Looking for Monsters**

Back in District 13, 300 feet below the surface of the earth.

The room was very small and the little square table in the middle took up half the room. On one side was Marcus diligently going through the check list of questions. Opposite of him was the woman District 13 had saved at great expense and danger from the Capital secret service. She was tall, blue eyed, and with matching blue hair. Her documents said she was 43, she looked 35, and was trying hard to look 20. Silbia Lure hair was all matted down now, and she was extremely tired.

I hate this whole process, I know Silbia Lure is hating it, but this is likely the only time she will have to go though this, I have been through it dozens of times.

Interviewing people is a complicated process. People lie all the time, and for so many different reasons, the only thing you can be sure of is you are not hearing the whole truth. With the Capital you also have to take in account that they might even believe something totally false. The Capital sometimes sets up people, and other times even brainwash them. But the one interview which stuck with me the most is the recording they showed us during training, where the person just blew up killing all the people in the room. The Capital has found a way to get bombs into people without their even knowing!

Silbia Lure had all the looks of the real thing. We found records of a Sibia Lure working for Doctor Lucus, and the pictures matched her face. No devices were found in her or signs of recent operations. She was middle age, but trying desperately to look younger. She alternates between being scared and annoyed, with our interview. So far we have asked her the same questions at least 3 dozen times over 3 days and found no notable contradictions.

"So lets go over again why you think the Capitals secret service is looking for you."

Silbia pleaded, "I am so tired of all this shit, we have covered all this so many times."

I lied, "We are getting near the end of the process, just answer the question.".

Silbia sighed before answering, "I got an alarm call from the lab, that they had a break-in, while I was on vacation in the mountains. The alarm went to my phone. I could see them... I could see the PeaceKeepers grabbing all research assistants, animals, and equipment."

"Then what?"

She leaned back and tried to comfort herself by rubbing her legs with her hands. She was obviously still very scared. "I started getting calls from friends saying that Doctor Lucus was dead, and everyone from the lab was being arrested."

"Why do you think this was happening?"

"There is only one good reason, I could think of, he broke protocol and implanted a device in a person. The Capital barely allowed us to do animal research.", she said with wide eyes which could indicate anger or over acting.

I could feel my anger building just thinking of these people's carelessness, "Why would the good Doctor recreate a creature so dangerous, no one, I mean no one has even tried to do it for hundreds of years."

"He wasn't trying to create anything, he wanted to save people's lifes! The device could save hundreds of lives every year. I have seen it bring back subjects with 30% brain loss!"

I attacked her again to see her response. "And you were completely ignorant of history, of what happened last time!"

"The device he made was only derived from those technologies, that is all. There were no signs of telepathy or telekinesis, in any of the test subjects. Their is no reason to believe anything like that can happen again!" she said with just the right amount of anger, either she was was really good or she was telling the truth.

"And these test subjects were what?"

"Monkeys"

How could they be so careless I thought and said. "Did it never occur to you that it might be different in a human?"

"I'm saying we are the experts, we have studied it a lot longer then you and we don't believe there is any real danger!"

"And if you are wrong, were would we find the patient, with the implant."

"I told you I wasn't there. I was on vacation. I don't know who they put the device into."

"That part of the story I never bought. You may not have been there, but you think you know who it is."

Silbia head slumped down and she spoke to the table, "I don't know anything, but Peeta Mellark... well I how else could anyone had survived something like that!"

I put a note on today's report, "Recommend the immediate assassination of Peeta Mellark."

I lied again, "Just one more question, if you are wrong. If the device does recreates a Banchee what should we do."

She waited a long time, the look in her eyes, told me she didn't believe my lie about this almost being over, and she wish me dead. "Well in that case you will be in deep shit! Get near him and he will read your mind, and make you see anything he wants. Maybe he will make you believe you are having a heart attack, or you are falling to your death, anything he wants! Right now I wish we were wrong, but we weren't and you'll end up killing an innocent young man because of your stupid fears."


	9. A New Family

A New Family

On the first Parcel Day, early in the morning, I heard my doorbell. When I opened my door there was Katniss' mom, Prim, several bags, a cat, and a goat. The goat seems happy enough, the cat was pissed off, and the two people looked like they had walked through hell on the way to my house. The bags under the girl's eyes spoke of long hard days, and their posture spoke of people just worn out. Dealing with these people might be as big of a challenge as the government or my dead girlfriend.

I smiled and said, "Welcome to your new home. Come in."

When they entered the cat jumped down from Prim's arms and ran away to hide in the house, the goat calmly shit on the floor and the girls just stared. I walked them though the living room, which I sensed was too big for our group, and right into the kitchen. We sat at the little breakfast table and I went to put tea on. "I'm so glad you decided to come. I'm not sure what I would have done if you didn't. You see the reaping and the games took away all my plans I had made for my life, and my promise to Katniss was one of the few things I felt I had left. This house has plenty of room for all of us, and I also have more than enough money, so I think we will do well here. I will give you guys the grand tour of the house and you can pick out your bedrooms. After that I will need you, Mrs. Everdeen, to help me make a shopping list of food and what else we need. Then we will go into town, buy supplies and build Lady her own pen."

After I got the girls set up with their rooms and made a shopping list, we went into town. I gave Mrs. Everdeen all the money and watched the excitement she got just being able to buy things with cash. She kept saying everything cost too much, but I know she enjoyed the feeling of having money. We bought lumber and chain link fencing for Lady's pen and hired a truck to take it all back.

Thanks to all the rocks it took me most of the rest of the day to put in the fence. Prim helped me by getting drinks and tools, but mostly just watched me. After a long while she got around to saying what she was thinking.

Prim lowered her head so I couldn't see her eyes and said, "Did it hurt? I mean did dying hurt?"

Obviously she was worried about how her sister had died, so I said, "No, Prim it wasn't like that. When we took the berries there was a bitter taste, not unlike vinegar. Then you can't see, and lastly you feel so weak you just fall down. It was all over in seconds. There was no pain at all."

Now Prim looks into my eyes and say, "Did you go to heaven?"

"No, I don't think I was really dead."

"Do you think Katniss is in heaven? Do you think she is really dead?" says Prim.

"What do you think?"

"I just get this feeling sometimes like she is still here."

"Me too. You know how stubborn Katniss is. Maybe her spirit won't leave until all the people she loves can come with her." Prim gave a little grim smile, the first smile I ever got from her.

When I finished with the fence it was time to start cooking for supper. I cleaned up and all three of us started on dinner. The girls showed me how to make a stew and I showed them how to make bread. Mrs. Everdeen decided that I should call her Caroline. All the food did wonders for them. In some ways I think making the food was even better for them then eating it. After dinner we played cards and tried not to talk about anything serious until Prim went to bed.

Caroline and I stayed up for hours talking about the house and how to organize the chores, and what Prim needed. Caroline said goodnight and was about to leave when she said what was on her mind.

"Did Katniss talk about me at all?"

I started telling her the stories Katniss told me about her mom while writing the letter.

"Yes, she told me several stories. The first one I remember is how you held her all night when she had the measles and sang to her. She felt so safe back then in your arms."

I went on to tell her the other stories Katniss told me, being careful to let her know how much Katniss loved her in those early years.

"Do you think, she really forgave me?"

"I don't think Katniss was ever good at forgiving, but I know she kept her promises, so if she had lived you would have seen someone struggle to forgive, but she wouldn't give up on a promise."

She thanked me for my honesty and went to bed.

That night I listened to the birds and cicadas and watched the full moon make its path across the sky. I sat for hours willing her back, imagining every detail of her, imagining her in front of me. Finally exhausted I lay down to sleep, and found myself unable to close my eyes. I got up again and tried again. This pattern repeated many times and on many nights. I would go for days without sleep, but finally I started to see results. Now and again instead of Katniss appearing randomly she started to appear when I wanted her to appear.

The more I talked to Katniss the more my heart broke for her. My suffering was obvious, but I was the only person she could talk to, or even touch. I knew I must keep her with me as long as possible every day, or she would go back to that half existence she suffered through.

Soon we fell into a routine, I would call it mundane, but I had never seen anything like it.

Mornings were the best. All day I would look forward to waking up. Five am in the morning I would wake up, just like I have all my life, but instead of starting the ovens, I would open my eyes and see a sleeping Katniss. I would lay there and just watch her sleep. I would force my mind to pause and just stare at her beauty. After a while, questions would start ringing in my mind. What is she? Is she really real? I have never heard of anything like her, am I the only person this ever happened too, or are am I just so crazy. When I got tired of those questions and the lack of answers, I would move on to, how are we ever going to be happy together? How can anyone be happy when they can't do anything, and only have one person they can talk too? And when I got tired of those questions, I would wake Katniss. I loved the fact that she smiled as I woke her, part of me said she was really happy to see me, but then she had fooled me before.

"Morning Katniss"

Katniss smiled and then open her eyes, I just loved that she smiled before opening her eyes, "Morning, what the schedule today."

"Well we went visiting the Hobb yesterday, the day before we went hunting, how about today we do some spying at the PeaceKeepers building, or maybe we can say home today and do some art."

"You call that hunting, you didn't shoot anything! You need a lot more practice before you can call it hunting.", Katniss said with a mocking frown.

"So you want another try at teaching me the bow? I just thought we might try and learn more about the rebellion today."

"Ok, you win, but can we go by the old house on the way."

"Sure."

When I lift my room, I would often lose Katniss, but I have learn how to bring her back. It took effort but I could bring her back now if I meditated right. A side effect of bringing her back, was my stomach would get upset, and I could feel myself getting nervous. Sometimes my stomach would get so bad I would throw up and other times my nerves got so strained I would have a panic attack and have to hide for a while in the basement. I would wake Prim and Caroline and start making breakfast. They both loved my baking, especially in the morning.

I smiling Prim would pounce into the kitchen, "Morning Uncle Peeta."

"Morning Prim, do you want English muffins?"

"With orange marmalade?"

"Is there any other way?", she said with a smile that made me almost as happy as her sister's.

Looking at Prim I would wonder, should I or even if I could share Katniss with her. To have someone else to share this would make me feel so much better. Me and Katniss would have long arguments about it, but in the end we always backed downed and admitted this was just too scary to share.

After Prim goes off to school, me and Caroline would share a cup of coffee, then it was off to spy on the PeaceKeepers. So down the road I would go me, my cane, my box of paints, and my invisible girl. She could talk all she wanted to, which wasn't much, but I had to watch I didn't get caught answering.

Now that Katniss was around most of the day I kept getting caught talking to myself. Katniss and I had to come up with hand signals to avoid people figuring out how crazy I really was. With my left hand down by my side I would move first finger of the left hand for "I heard you.," second finger for "yes," third for "no," and fourth for "I don't know." So now people thought I was a crazy young man with palsy.

Walking through the town, everyone would say hello. Not only was I the most famous person in the district but I have been doing my best to charm these people. So my shadows stuck out like sore thumbs, they were the only two people in the town who didn't say hello. These spies following me have become something of a joke to me. It didn't matter to me much that I was followed, they couldn't see my secrets, my Katniss.

One person we would see each time was Grandma Mabel, the name stuck even though all her kin were dead. I don't know how she found us, but she always did. She would walk up to us and grab my hand and stare into my eyes and talk about Katniss. At some point her face would just start to glow, like I had told her some marvelous joke. I really found it upsetting, but I humored her. I wished she would just let me be. It wasn't until much later that a friend of hers told me how she looked forward to finding me and how she loved to see the "shadow lady" out of the corner of her eye.

When we got to the PeaceKeeper's building I would set up my easel and Katniss would slip inside. When she got to the door I would avert my eyes, watching anything go through her made my stomach flip.

It took us weeks to figure out when and where information could be found, until she found out when their status reports were reviewed. Everyday they would review the reports from all the districts in a meeting and she would just listen aghast by what she heard. Katniss, like all of us, thought of the government as unassailable, but it wasn't so. She would hear of attacks on the government by dozens of groups in all the districts but 12. The government was monitoring hundreds of people and many groups, but still they lost many PeaceKeepers a month. So many of the groups took their names from Katniss and it made her so proud. One of the groups, called the "Citadel,"was special. Unlike the other groups, it seemed to have chapters in each district and every report on a group would have a section on how they interacted with this "Citadel". I wish they would say more about the nature of the "Citadel". The reports clearly showed that they thought a revolution was coming, but also that it would end like the last one.

When she return she tried to time her exit to follow someone leaving, she knew how it hurt me to see her pass through things. We would return in time to see Prim home from school.

Lucky for us today we don't have anybody over for dinner, or we would have to start getting ready for that. About once a week we have people over the mayor, peacekeeper officers, reporters, or government officials, and sometimes even people we like from the district. I was trying to charm people to protect the Everdeens. I never told Prim or Caroline what we were doing, but I think they figured it out, because they played along. Without the dinner to worry about I have time to do more art. I have always love drawing, but I never imagined I would be a real artist. Upstairs in the library we have large windows that give me the natural light I needed, and we can spend the afternoon drawing and painting. Ever since the games, my skills have become amazing. All over the walls and stacked on the floors are all my works, and they are beyond anything I thought I could do. Most of my art revolve around the games and Katniss, but there is also the District and my life here too. Sometimes I got Prim or Caroline to join me and I would help them do their pieces.

I remember one time I found Prim looking out the window in the library and I went over to say hello. When she turned around I saw she had been crying.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I don't know. I'll be okay for a while and then I'll have some random thought and …. I'll just end up crying. How do you deal with it?"

"There is nothing wrong with missing Katniss or crying. Still, sometimes my thoughts get too negative and I feel I'm going to break down. On the train ride back it happened, I almost broke down, I had found Katniss's casket and just started to come apart. I just sat on the floor next to her casket and started having a fit. When in middle of my breakdown I suddenly felt Katniss presence and knew what I was doing was hurting her, so I just stopped. Since then, I realize I don't have the strength to do what I need to do, but I'll do it anyway for Katniss."

Prim got up and wiped her eyes,."For Katniss, I guess I can do this."

I answer, "For Katniss, for your Mother, and maybe a little for me too?"

"Yes, Uncle Peeta, for you too," Prim said as she gave me a kiss on my cheek.

As it got late and the light started to fade I would go down and help Prim and Caroline with dinner. They were making me a better cook, and I am teaching them a lot about baking. Dinners where people talked and actually enjoyed each other, it was just wonderful. For the first time in my life I was part of a family in which fear only existed outside it's doors. After dinner we would talk and play card games.

After a while we would go upstairs and spend hours on my correspondence. Most of it was fan mail, but I also got letters from reporters, our old sponsors, and Capital people I met. Most of the common people wanted to comfort me. I would encourage reporters to come to talk, or write to sponsors to keep me in their thoughts. Reporters were easy. They were always looking for angles and I fed them just what they needed.

I contacted Livia Stone about my progress on my pictures and soon she was writing to me every week. I also started getting letters of encouragement from Livia Stone's granddaughter, Tess. Tess Stone claimed that she talked to me at the Victor's party, but I don't remember her.

Late at night I would take my drugs. I had drugs for my nerves, drugs for my stomach, and drugs to sleep. Without some help on most nights I wouldn't sleep at all. The strongest sleep drugs the district doctors could provide did little, but I found some drugs from smugglers, that often worked.

As I nodded off Katniss would check on Prim. So many times Prim still ends up in her mother's bed. It was a this time Katiss always was the most vulnerable, she would just look sad, and sometimes she would cry. If I asked her her answers were always short and cryptic. I knew she was scared and she was facing the doubts I started my day with. What is she? How are we ever to be happy together? What is our future? I would just hold her, kiss her, and nod off.


	10. Warnings

**Warnings**

Marcus stood staring down on District 12 from the distant hill, as his small crew was setting up camp. Within the hour, they would have to have their camouflage up so they wont be discovered, and watch the District undetected. His crew was running around setting up tents, camouflage, instruments, and setting up for a long observation.

Marcus loved these hills, they were so big and green, and different from the Capital's stony mountains or District 13's caves. He had never been to District 12 before and had no idea how charming it was. After the war, assuming I am still alive, he thought. Maybe I will move here and raise a family. A house on one of these great green giants would be wonderful.

He looked over to his left and see the gunnery officer setting up the auto sniper. What a wonderful piece of death dealing equipment it is. It has a tripod with auto gyros to keep it perfectly steady, a huge electric optical sight, and a powerful laser beam to kill anything for miles.

He asked, "Gunny, is your gun ready?"

"Yes, sir."

Marcus waved him aside and took the controls and started panning the distant district. He could hear the camp behind him get quiet, as all work came to a halt. Zooming in closer and closer until he could make out individuals, and then started to search the roads. Finally, he found what he was looking for. A young blond man, with a cane, but no noticeable limp, walking along the road toward town. He zoomed in more until the back of his head filled the screen. The crew can all see what is being aimed at through the repeating monitor right next to him. He locked on to the target, so the computer would follow every move he makes. All he has to do is pull the trigger.

A very nervous lieutenant gunnery officer, risking both his bars, said. "Sir, the orders. The orders didn't include any assassination."

Marcus growled, "Lieutenant I believe I am in charge here."

The lieutenant's voice lowered to a whisper. "Sir, they will break you."

He put a little more pressure on the trigger, "I have risked my life many times to protect this world. You don't think I will risk my career?". All of a sudden the computer lost focus, the image became a blur, like some heavy gas was between Marcus and his target. And for a second, just a second, he thought the image on the back of Peeta's head, looked like one very angry young girl, looking right at him. He pulled away from the gun, his hands shaking. He looked back at the lieutenant's face, and he obviously didn't see anything. I will review the tape later, He thought to himself, but he knew what he would find. He knew he had just received a warning... Shaking his head, Marcus walked into the woods to think about what just happened, to figure what it meant, and to stop his hands from shaking. The crew finish setting up camp.

After they were set up and the camp was invisible from all prying eyes, he gather his crew. Guards, support, and techs gathers on his left and District 13's secret service officers on his right, a mere dozen people all together.

"Ok, some of you people were briefed before we left, but just so no one feels left out, here is our mission: District 12, up to this point, has been considered unimportant and we have no observations or agents in it. We are going to change that. We are going to learn all there is to know about this district and neither the Capital or District 12 is to know anything about us. We are interested in everything about this district, but our primary target is Peeta Mellark."

Remu, the senior agent, spoke for the group. "Sir, may I ask why Peeta Mellark is so important?"

"You may ask, but I can't give you a complete answer." He paused shortly. "Just remember a war is coming. We don't know when, but soon. And when that war comes we will want as many of the districts as possible to align themselves with us, but they don't trust us. Hell, they don't know we exist! Our political analysis believe we can use Peeta Mellark and the memory of Katniss Everdeen to address the issue." Our Generals are fools, all they can think of is the coming war. They just can't take my warnings seriously. They think no matter what or who he is, they can manage him.

He pointed down the hill and said, "From this hill top, we will try to discover all the observable facts about the district and Peeta Mellark." Then he looked back to his agents. "While all that is going on, you guys must get agents up and trained in a district so small, that any new face will be questioned. It is going to be a long haul. First, we start with smugglers and criminals. Once we are established as a vital part of the smuggling business, we will use the criminals to introduce us to sympathetic individuals we can train to be our agents. Then we must work those agents to be confidants of Peeta Mellark."

"That is going to take so long. Hell, the war might be over before we are ready!" Remus again making it clear he was leader among the agents.

Luckily, Marcus had an answer all ready for him. "That is why I am going back to the Capital, for one more long shot mission. There not many people who can travel between districts with little or no questions, but there are a few. I am going to try and get one of those to help us here. The woman I am thinking of would be perfect for the job. Not only could she just show up here, but she could get right next to Peeta Mellark with out batting an eye. Technically she doesn't work for us, but she does believe in the cause."


	11. Hunting For Love

**Story so far:**

Peeta has taken in Prim and Katniss's mother (Caroline), and they are making a go of being a family. Peeta has a crazy plan to protect the Everdeens by being so popular that it is politically impossible to touch him. He is writing letters to everyone, doing interviews with reporters, having important people over for supper, and doing the best to charm everyone.

Mean while Marcus an agent of District 13, has been hunting down Peeta, and setting up observations, and spies on him. Marcus would like Peeta killed, but he lost that argument with the Generals and now must figure a way to get Peeta to work for District 13 and the coming revolt.

Only one or two more things are going on, like Peeta is living with a dead girlfriend. They are trying to make there relationship work despite her invisibility, and her lack of a pulse. Peeta knows he is somehow making her real, but on the other hand, he knows she is not just a creation of his mind, she is somewhere in between. She is just a shadow of what she was, but that is enough for Peeta to hold on to. Oh, one other thing Peeta is not technically human anymore, he is just not sure what he is. Marcus knows what he is and that is the reason he wants him dead.

**Hunting for Love**

Whenever possible, I took Katniss to the woods that she so loved. Here, she trained me to be a hunter.

My foot fell slowly, I was desperately trying to not make a noise. On my cheek, I could feel the wind shift direction. Now I started to worry the deer I had been tracking for a half an hour might get downwind of me, so I started to move quickly, carefully watching the ground for twigs and dry leaves. I still could hear the deer chewing, so far so good. I could not see it, but I must be near, very near. To my left was an opening in the bushes, and I knew the deer would have to go through the opening or completely reverse its path. I grabbed an arrow, readied my bow, and started to wait. First one minute, and then another, I wasn't sure how long I could keep the arrow drawn. Finally I heard it move, and then I saw it's body. The deer ran right into the path of my arrow, so my arrow pierced it's belly, and then just disappeared as it entered it's body. When the deer fell, I looked over to see Katniss's face. The excitement and joy in her face, was my true trophy. "Peeta, you did it! That was just brilliant!"

"Well, I had a great teacher."

I was proud of myself. I had done well, but the real payoff was the look on Katniss' transparent face. Here in the woods Katniss seemed more alive than anywhere else. She just loved these woods and the idea that she couldn't hunt anymore just made her so sad, so she lived vicariously through me. I worked very hard to be the hunter she wanted me to be, and listened very closely to everything she said.

Katniss told me how to dress the deer, and I almost got sick pulling all the guts out. She showed me how to lock the legs together using its own tendons and that was when I notice the weather had changed and the sky was now dark with clouds.

"It looks like we are going to get wet. Well, at least I am going to get wet."

"Peeta, come with me down by the lake. We can wait out the storm in the old cement house."

Katniss had shown me the cement house down by the lake earlier., It was just one room really, but it should keep me dry. By the time we got there the rain had already started. We started a fire in the ruin's fireplace. The wind was cold and damp and the storm clouds made it darker, so we cuddled in the corner of the room. I cut off some pieces of the deer's flank and started roasting it on a stick over the fire.

"How I miss the taste of food. I would give anything to taste that meat. You can't imagine how it is not to taste things, not even to feel hunger," Katniss said with a pained look on her face.

I tried to say something. My mouth opened, but no words came.

"It's okay, Peeta. Before you came along I couldn't feel anything. For days I wandered around that hospital thinking I was in some kind of hell before I felt you wake up. I just knew you would be able to hear me. Without you I don't know how long my mind would have lasted."

I lay my hand on her hip and I felt a shudder through her body.

"Oh, Peeta, when I am invisible I can't feel anything. I just want to be normal. I want to feel, smell, taste, as I used to. I want my life back. Peeta, only you can make me like that,., Katniss said with a plea in her eyes.

Looking in the prayer in her eyes I knew I wanted to give her life. In the arena I was ready to die for her and after all this time nothing had changed. My hand went to feel her cheek and she turned her head to lay it firmly in my hand. I could feel the soft warmth of her cheek and her hot breath on my hand. My thumb reached to feel her lips and her lips parted and reached up for my touch. Down deep I knew my love was making her real. I see in her eyes new strength and lust and I knew I could deny her nothing.

Before my eyes she changed, from a shadow she became real. The skin, the eyes everything was perfect, perfectly normal! Right now I knew if we were in town, everyone would see her just as a normal girl. Katniss eyes grew wide, and she sucked in a lungful of air. "Peeta! Oh my God! The air smells of rain, and smoke!" She stuck out her tongue and licked my thumb. "Peeta! I can taste you! Your salty!". We just grab each other and just start laughing in wild hysteria. As we laugh, I can hear her sniffing my hair, my skin, anything, and her tongue tasted my ear. "Peeta! I am cold! Really cold! It's wonderful! You did this didn't you, thank you, thank you...". It is then she looked down and realized she didn't have any clothes on. She paused and for moment, I thought she would run off, then she got a big smile again, and with a laugh said, "Well Peeta you got everything perfect, you are truly a great artist!" And then she kissed me again. We just couldn't stop kissing, every kiss demanded two more.

The rain came down in great sheets. We made our dreams come true, it was heaven. Then my eyes wouldn't focus, and it all went black.

"Peeta! Peeta! Please wake up!" Katniss was yelling in my ear. I tried to make sense of the blurred images I saw and figure out when and where I was.

"I am okay. Where am I?"

"Peeta, you passed out. You were so pale I thought you had a heart attack!"

Looking at her, I could see how scared she was, and how the moment had passed, and she was a shadow again, in her hunting outfit. "No, I am okay sweetie," I said as my memory came back and I realize what had happened. I had never felt so bad and so happy at the same time. I couldn't stop sweating, shaking, and every ounce of warmth was gone from my body. I feel like I had just swum in an ice filled lake. And on top of all of that I couldn't stop smiling. After throwing up I thought I would declare this the best day in my life. The look on Katniss face revealed more fear than she ever showed during the game.

"Peeta, I almost killed you!"

"No it's not that bad, just give me few minutes to recover, okay?"

"No, Peeta, I almost killed you! We need to get a doctor!"

"No! I don't need a doctor. I told you I will be fine just give me a few minutes."

I threw up again and Katniss picked up some wood and put it on the fire. "See, I knew it. I could feel it when we made love, you are stronger."

After that day Katniss swore never to make love to me again, and I lied to her, saying she was over-reacting. I knew it was just a matter of time until we did it again, I could feel her need, and of course I knew my own. I couldn't explain what happened, but I knew it made her stronger and me sick. For a while it was almost like she was of flesh and blood, it was a miracle.

Now she was a shadow again, but she was stronger. She could move things, like a very weak, normal person. So I had her read and answer the fan letters we got. Late at night as I took my sedatives she would work at the desk I had moved next to my bed. Having real work to do and people to talk to, even just by letters, made her feel so much better.

As I started my drug induced sleep I began to think about my dreams. My dreams were always the same every night. Every night since the game in my dreams I become the ghost. My ghostly form will wander through some hospital I have never seen. I keep looking all over this hospital, but I never find her, I never find Katniss. But as I fall asleep tonight, I set my mind to a new dream. Tonight I will dream of the day I walk hand in hand with Katniss into town. I will dream of the day Katniss can hug her sister and mother. I will dream of the day she can hunt again. And I will dream of the day we will sleep together as man and wife. That will be the day I master what ever the Capital doctors did to me. The day I have enough power to make her real and keep her here with me. The day I have power, lots and lots of power. Soon I will have the power!


	12. Meet Tess Stone

**Meet Tess Stone**

Early one morning after I sent Prim off to school, my door bell rang. When I answered the door, I saw a young smiling girl, maybe 18, and behind her a very large mountain of a man, like 40. The girl was obviously from the Capital, with her fully made up face, white skin, pink lips, auburn hair, and a huge red bow on her head. The man looked like a character from a PeaceKeeper recruiting poster, blue eyed, square chin, with a huge scar down his face, neck, and down under his shirt. The smile on her face was so open, trusting, and sincere I found it hard to believe it was aimed at me, someone who didn't even know her.

"Hello, Peeta. I am Tess. Tess Stone."

The well connected Lady Livia Stone has been working with me for months on setting up a show of my art work in the Capital, and I do remember getting a letter months ago from her granddaughter Tess, but nothing more.

"Oh yes, Tess Stone. Come on in. How is your grandmother?" Out of the corner of my eye I could see Katniss smiling, as she seemed to be studying my face. I knew something was going on, but what?

"Great, she sends her regards and she hopes we can put together that art exhibit soon."

Tess sat on my couch. Katniss sat right next to her, and the man went to stand against the wall.

"Don't mind Tom. He is not very friendly, but is extremely loyal," Tess said as she gave an unanswered smile to Tom.

"So I guess you're here to see how my art is going?"

"Well, yes, that is one reason I came. And I did bring some presents for the whole family, but really after all the letters we exchanged I just wanted to talk in person."

Katniss just smiled, "You know, under all the makeup, I think she is really very pretty. What do you think?"

I wished I had a finger sign for "What the hell is happening?". I flashed her the yes sign.

Katniss said, "You should tell her how excited you're to see her in person."

"Well, I'm very happy to see you. I've always looked forward to your letters. In fact, tonight, I think I will have to re-read them." What letters were we talking about? "I'm such a poor host. Let me get you some tea, or would you prefer coffee?"

"Tea would be fine."

When I got into the kitchen, I frowned at Katniss. "What is going on?"

"Nothing. You told me to answer the fan mail, so I did."

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing much," Katniss said with a smirk.

When I came back with the tea, Tess told me she was staying in her own private train car, and Grandma would not let her travel without Tom. When I asked how long she was going to stay, she hinted that her stay was open-ended. Throughout all of this she wore a simple, open smile as if I were an old friend of hers.

When Katniss' mother came down, Tess immediately recognized her. She made a big fuss about Caroline and asked if there was anything she could do for her. Tom gave Tess a package and she gave it to Caroline. Inside the package was the dress Katniss wore on reaping day. Tears came to Caroline's eyes. "I found this for sale in the Capital and think it belongs with you." After Caroline settled down, Tess and I went upstairs and I showed her my art.

We went up to the library which now served as my studio. Leaning against all the book shelves are many pictures of mine, each carefully covered with drop cloths. I had learned quickly that some of my subjects were too intense for the girls. Katniss stays close to Tess, she seem very curious about everything she does.

Tess head started to slowly scan the room. "You did all of these, in just a couple of months!"

I try to minimize the work, but I myself don't understand how fast and good I have become. "Well not all of them are complete."

I move around the room picking out my least intense pictures. I pick portraits, and landscapes. Katniss calls out some of her favorites.

When I hand Tess the pictures one, by one she lights up like it was Christmas, "Wow, Peeta these are great! This portrait of Prim and Caroline is not only wonderfully done, but I can feel how much you care for them, it is just so loving. She looks so bright, and full of life. Are all of these this good?"

Katniss beams with pride, "You are going to be famous. Didn't I tell you so?"

I try to break the bad news to her gently, "Depends on what you mean by good. Technically, that is not my best effort. I did that very early on, but most of my best works I don't think are sellable."

"Oh, Peeta don't show her those. You just met her. Don't scare her!", Katniss pleaded.

Tess says, "Why is that?"

How can I explain to anyone, except maybe Katniss, how these terrible images haunt me day and night and I must get them out. "I lot of them are so sad, or intense, I don't suspect anyone will want them besides me."

"Like what?"

I point to a picture on the floor, right next to her foot. "You might not want to look at that one."

Katniss glares at me and says, "Oh, Peeta what are you doing?"

She uncovers it, and her hand goes to her mouth, as her face goes ashen. The picture was a young girl, laying in a pile of leaves, with a bright red necklace, the first impression was how beautify the girl and leaves were. It slowly dawns on Tess that is not a necklace, the girl is desperately using her hands to try and stop her life from bleeding out of her neck. Tess looks for a chair and tries to compose herself. "Who is she?"

I can feel my throat close up, and I hold on to avoid tears. "She is one of my victims. I slit her throat in order to be able to stay with the careers. I have several of her here. I just can't get her out of my head. She is the reason I am going to hell."

Tess looks so sad as she says, "Oh, my poor boy. None of that was your fault."

I not sure I can explain it to anyone, but I will give it a try. "I had already decided to do what ever was necessary to protect Katniss. So you see it was important that I lived, and that I stay with the careers, so I could save her, but that means I had already decided that Katniss life was more important than mine or hers. I am going to hell."

Katniss started pace back and forth with anger. "You didn't do shit, it was that damn President Snow and the Capital. They the ones responsible, not you!"

Tess grabs my hand, gives it a firm grip, looks me in the eye and says, "It really is a wonderful picture, I have known every important artist of the last ten years personally. And I can honestly say your work is beyond them all. You were going to take the art world by storm."

I say, "Even with subject matters like that?"

"Maybe you wouldn't want it in your living room, but museums and some collectors would love it."

"I don't think I would like anyone who liked it."

Tess voice sounds raspy as she says, "Peeta, it is the truth. You are telling the truth to people. The people of Panem need to face these things. Some people know how rare the truth is, and will love it for that." Then she gives me a hug, a kiss on my cheek, and we leave.

Tess said, "Why don't we take a walk? You can show me some of District 12." So we went outside. As soon as we were outside, Tess grabbed my face with her two hands and stared into my eyes. "You didn't write those letters did you?"

"No," I had to admit.

"Was it Prim or Mrs. Everdeen I was talking to?" I said nothing. Katniss was nowhere to be seen. Tom discreetly stayed a ways away.

With a wink in her eye, "Okay, keep your secrets, but they were very sweet letters. We need to talk, and I need you to trust me."

We started walking, and Tess grabbed my arm and leaned into me as we walked. "I never watch those games. No one in my family does, but when I heard about you and Katniss, well, I just had to see if it was true. Both of you were so brave and noble, …." Tess seemed on the edge of tears. "I guess I should introduce myself some, since you obviously did not read my letters. Of all the great houses, which once numbered in the dozens when my grandmother was young, there are only 3 now; Snow, Stone, and Book. My grandmother sister was Snow's first wife and likely the only person he truly loved, which has saved our family many times. So technically I am Snow's grandniece, which definitely helps sometimes, but we all live in fear of another great purge. I don't know if you realize it but Panem is on the verge of a second civil war. Everyone in power knows this."

She obviously was trying hard to get my trust, but I couldn't give it too easily, so I started with a test. "What is the Citadel?"

"Wow, how do you know that name? Never mind. As you might have guessed history is written by the victors, and what you learn in school only vaguely resembles what happened in the last civil war. As they told you, District 13 organized the other districts against the capital and was bombed heavily. What the textbooks leave out is that District 13 survived, hidden in a deep fortress, called the 'Citadel'."

"District 13 survived!" I say pretending to be more shocked then I was. The idea that the Capital was lying to us had become part of my thought process.

"They have atomic missiles just like the Capital does so complete destruction was impossible. So they in their Citadel been waiting for a chance for another try at overthrowing the government. Snow uses the name Citadel to avoid even talking about District 13. He lives in constant fear of it."

"So they have agents in the Districts organizing this revolt?"

"That is what Snow believes. He sees all revolt in terms of District 13, and yes, they are likely involved, but no one knows how much. Back to you, the game's goal is to cow the Districts but this time thanks to you and Katniss it didn't work. Snow has already started a mini purge, killing many people involved in the last game, including Seneca Crane, the doctors that worked on you, and many more. Snow was livid about the ending of the last game, and no one knows what is going to happen next, but you are going to be part of it."

"I'm not in the business of politics or war. Right now everything revolves around my promises to Katniss, and the people close to me."

Tess stopped walking and put her face right next to mine, our noses just a hair away from each other. "Peeta, when I heard what you did for Katniss, how you used your love as a weapon to protect her, I was amazed. You took my breath away. When I saw how brave both of you were I fell in love with the both of you. Then you two died….", She wiped a tear from her face. "And ever since then I have seen how hard you worked to protect your family and the Everdeens. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. You are a wonderful boy. You have shown everyone in Panem what we were supposed to be, but things are going to get ugly, and soon."

"I'm sorry, but for me things have been ugly ever since reaping day."

Tess face became very serious, "Peeta, one of the reasons I had to come was to prevent a bidding war on you. In the Capital those in power know they can buy the company of Victors from Snow. I hope to prevent you from being forced into prostitution by being here with you."

"You're staking a claim to me!"

"No, I am just a friend, but I am going to let it seem that I am. Not many people are willing to go against a Stone in a bidding war."We started walking again. "Peeta, I am going to help you, I promise you, but no one, not even a Stone, can stand against Snow. We need to find a path that gives us what we want while keeping Snow happy. This is the way everyone who has survived in Panem does it."

After the walk I went back home and stormed up to my room, I was sure I had confused Caroline, but I was too mad to worry about that. As soon as I entered my room. "Okay, Katniss what is this all about? What did you say to Tess?"

Katniss said, "Peeta, I love you!"

That stopped me for a second. We had been constantly together for months now, we had made love, I had taken in her family as mine, and in all this time she had never said this. On the other hand, I quickly realized it didn't explain anything. And her attempt at misdirection had made me just want to yell.

"Don't try to get me off topic. What is Tess all about?"

"Peeta, things have changed for me. You have always been special to me. Somehow you have always been there when I really needed someone. When my family and I were starving you saved us with bread. When I became a tribute you conspired to save me, and when I died you definitely brought me back. If I had been just a little braver I would have approached you years ago, but somehow you scared me. I guess I was scared of facing the truth, of admitting how much I owed you. But now you're my life, even more, you're what I would give life up for. Yes, I love you."

"Katniss, I find that wonderful, but what about Tess?"

"Peeta, you have been looking out for me. It is time I start looking out for you."

"So you're hooking me up with women now?"

"Peeta, if you read her letters you would know she just wants to help you."

I started to get angry, "Don't act dumb, she doesn't even know me. She is a romantic fool caught up in the star crossed lover survivor story."

"Maybe, but just give her a chance. What did you know about me when you gave me the bread, or thought up the star crossed lover bit? You fell in love with my face and voice a long time before you knew anything about me, didn't you?"

"I knew your soul, somehow I just did."

"Well maybe she knows your soul too."

"Katniss, I don't want any other woman. You have been and will always be the one I want."

"Peeta, you need so much more than I can give. You deserve to have a normal family life, to have children, grandchildren. You would be a great dad, but right now Tess is just a potential friend. But someday some girl will come along, someone you can make a future with, and if you give her up for me I will haunt you for real."

"But you're what I want. Through you I found a reason to live. This is all because of the day in the woods, isn't it? It might not be the same next time, or if you want there will never be another time, I can deal with that!"

"Peeta you have to understand, when we are apart I only feel half alive. When you hold me tight I feel almost normal, I need you so bad. I don't know if I can deal with staying apart, but I must." I grabbed her and she pushed me back. "Peeta, your future is out in the world of the living and not here with me. You're going to be a wonderful dad."

This time I slowly grabbed her and ever so slowly pulled her right against me. I looked into her eyes and said, "Katniss, I wanted you to be the mother of my children." I felt a tear run down my cheek and saw one on Katniss' face.

Katniss said. "Peeta, it is never going to happen, and I … I wish it were different." When I tried to kiss her she just pulled away and ran right though the wall. I didn't see her again for three days. When she reappeared one morning we both pretended nothing had happened.

The next Saturday, early in the morning as I was still making coffee, the doorbell rang. When I answered there were Thomas, Ray, and Alfie.

Thomas said, "Peeta, would you like to come play ball?."

I said "Come on in guys, give me a minute to change." And then left the room as fast as I could. I was afraid that I might embarrass them with some big emotional outbreak. I had been wishing to do something boyish for the longest time, just to feel young again.

The whole day I couldn't catch or hit a ball. I really was lousy, but I so enjoyed it I didn't care. I guess my friends understood, because they didn't get mad at me no matter how bad I was.

As we played I noticed an auburn haired girl watching us and if it weren't for Tom being with Tess I would not have recognized her. She had removed all the makeup and even found a simple blue District style dress.

Before we called it a day Alfie told me it was Tess who shamed them into including me again in their game.

Alfie said, "I'm sorry, Peeta, somehow after you became a Victor we just thought you were beyond playing in a sand lot. Tess came around and told us how much you missed playing with us and … well, we all felt really bad about the whole thing. For a Capital girl she is okay."

"God I missed you guys."

"I guess I should warn you, Tess made the rounds the other day. She talked to us and she talked to your parents, teachers, Madge and Delly. Tess is determined that all your friends and family support you," Alfie says.

Katniss says, "See, somehow I knew from her letters she was a good girl. Her letters were so sweet, and by the way your letters back where very sweet too."

I went over to thank Tess. "Thanks Tess. Ever since I came back in some ways I've been very popular but nobody treats me, well, like me." Up close, I noticed without her makeup she had many freckles. Her auburn hair hung in one large braid down her chest. Tess just looked so normal, friendly, and yes, pretty. Even Tom was dressed in normal District 12 clothes, though they looked like a uniform on him.

"Doesn't she look nice without all the makeup?" says Katniss.

"Believe me I know, my whole life I've been a Stone and people have treated me weird. That is one thing I like about District 12. Here people think I'm strange because I'm from the Capital, not because I'm a Stone.", as Tess spoke I notice for the first time she had lost her Capital accent.

When the last Saturday of the month came, I found Delly and Madge at my door step. They both asked me to the school dance, and all three of us went. I had always loved to dance, likely because I had always been good at it. So I was always popular at the dances, but now that I was the most romantic, rich, and famous boy in the whole district, the girls just lined up. For the first time all the attention was actually enjoyable. I felt a little bad about watching Katniss just leaning against the wall the whole night.

Through the crowd I noticed Tess and was amazed to see how a simple black dress looked so elegant on her. The dress itself was obviously chosen to match the standards of the district, but she really made it work on her.

I look around and said, "What happened to Tom?"

A joking smile came over Tess' face, "Oh, he can fade into the walls when he wants to."

"Do you think Tom will let us dance?"

"Only one way to find out."

I am a good dancer. I often make others feel as if they are better dancers than they are. And now my fake leg seemed to be working as well as my real one, though I still brought my cane. I just liked the feel of it in my hand. With Tess for once I realized how much better I could be. Her body glided and swayed over the floor as if she were truly lighter than air. Her eyes were fixed on me as if we were alone. She held a smile that seemed always on the verge of laughter. Unlike all the other girls tonight she didn't seem to have any need to compliment or pander to me but seemed to be content to silently sway in my arms. I never thought I would feel this normal, not after the game. Somehow I started to feel guilty; this should have been Katniss I was dancing with, and so when the song ended I waved off doing another.

Later after the dance we spent a few moments outside the school cafeteria, which serviced as our dance hall, just breathing the crisp fall night air.

"So how does a dance in a school cafeteria in District 12 compare to the Capital's grand ballrooms?"

"You would be surprised how many really bad dances and parties I've been to in the Capital. What makes life and parties really interesting are the people and most people in the Capital are bores. My Grandmother knew Snow as a boy and how this all started, and she survived. She is interesting. Tom has survived dozens of life and death situations. He is interesting. People whose only accomplishment is organizing a party are bores."

"You really do like Tom don't you?"

"I love Tom. My own father died many years ago in a purge and Tom has become family to me. I know he never talks in front of you, but when no one is looking he really is great company, and I know no one will ever harm me as long as he lives. In some ways he reminds me of you and Katniss. He is just so brave and honorable."


	13. Duck Hunting

**Duck Hunting**

The bridge was old, it was much older then District 12. People claim it was built by some old rich family who's name "Raven" is still carved in it's granite, long before the Great War. The bridge still covered the old stone laden river which split the district. On each side of the river's bed a continual line of huge ancient oaks covered the river and it's bridge, making a cool and dark place even in the middle of summer.

Peeta sat on the branch high up in an old oak tree watching, waiting. Katniss sat next to Peeta with nothing apparently to say. They been waiting for while, finally they saw their prey, coming up on the old bridge.

They were walking together side by side, a young boy and a girl. I recognized the boy, he was Rory Hawthorn, and of coarse I recognized the girl she was my adopted niece Prim. Both carried their books, but were walking far too slow, like they really didn't want to get anywhere. When I looked over at Katniss I could see the concern in her eyes, and knew this could get dicey quickly. They both stopped on the bridge, and held hands as they talked. Rory leaned over to try for a kiss. Now Katniss was red face and I know I should do something fast. Rory started swatting at the air, as he backup and yelped. If you looked closely you could see a black dot zooming around his head.

Katniss face regained its colors, as she smiled with surprise. "Peeta! Are you doing that?"

"You like? How about this?", I said with an uncontrollable smile. This was the biggest trick I have done yet. Up to this point I had only done card tricks. I had become famous throughout the district for my card tricks. Not only does it help me practice my skills, but it gives people other things to talk about beside those dam games and Katniss when they meet me. All I had to do is imagine it in my mind and I could make people see it in their's.

Rory started patting at his shirt desperate to get the bug now inside. Prim was whacking at his chest too now.

Katniss starts to look a little concern. "You are getting too good at that. There is something just not right about reaching into peoples heads. But I must say I enjoyed that."

In the distance you could hear Gale calling, "Rory! You get here right now!" And Rory ran off.

"Peeta, you did Gale's voice too!"

I started to feel bad about what I did. I had reached into a boy's head and made him hallucinate just because he wanted to kiss my niece, or maybe I did it to please Katniss, either way I didn't feel right about it. "Yeah, I thought I had tortured Rory enough. Now the hard part, I need to talk to Prim, what should I say?"

At the mention of Prim Katniss got angry again. "Tell her she is just too young for kissing boys! Tell her she is stupid to trust a boy! Tell her mom is going to tan her hide!"

"Ok. Ok. I will make something up."

When Prim finally passed the tree I was in and I jumped down. I covered the sound of my feet hitting the ground with a gust of wind noise.

"Prim, what are you doing here?", I said.

Prim, jumped so bad I felt bad for scaring her so. I had already felt bad for what I did to Rory, so I just want this to be over.

"Uncle! Were did you come from? What are you doing here?"

"I was watching a girl meet a boy on the bridge."

I had never seen Prim lie to me before, and now I could see why. She was so bad at it. "I was just walking home from school. Rory was just walking with me that is all."

"Oh, what a little liar!", Katniss said.

I say, "Prim, before you dig your self any deeper in trouble, I saw everything."

Now Prim changed from lying to pleading. "You're not going to tell mom are you?"

"No, but you are."

"She better!", Katniss said.

"Prim sit with me a while. You need to talk to me some. I need to understand what you are doing and why."

We sit on a log all three of us. "Me and Rory well we … just like each other. We haven't done anything."

"She is too young. Peeta, tell her she is too young!", Katniss said.

"Prim you are only 12, you need some time to figure some things out, you don't need to rush anything. If you wait you will know what you want, and at least have a chance of getting what you need. I know Rory he is a good boy, but he needs time too, he could end up doing something he will regret later. I am not your mother, but if you want to see him, have him over, I am sure your mother won't mind. Just no more sneaking about."

"Uncle, we don't know if we have any time. Next year me or Rory could be gone like Katniss."

That hit hard because it was dead-on. Next year there will be another reaping and Prim or Rory could be gone. I could just say it wont happen, or I wont let it happen, but of coarse it could happen. In the back of my mind I can't help but think that they will pick Prim again. It would be just the kind of weird revenge by the Capital I have learn to expect from them.

"Oh, Peeta they wouldn't, they couldn't!", Katniss said.

"Prim you can't organize your life around possibilities like that. We must bravely face this world, not give in to it. It's what Katniss would want for you!."

"You told me you fell in love with Katniss when you were five years old. So why is it so different for me."

"Prim my love was great and strong, a force of nature, but it wasn't wise.", I found myself crying. I try to hold it in but it just wont work. "I want you to have normal love. To feel all normal joys of love, and …." I just can't continue. Katniss seem so shocked.

Prim grabbed me and held me, "It's ok uncle I am sorry. I should have never spoken to you so."

I had to work hard to say it in my current state, but I say. "Prim, you know I will protect you for the rest of my life, if they call your name I will volunteer. You promise to talk to your mom when we get home ?"

Katniss said, "I do love you Peeta. And if it comes to that we will both go again."

"Yes, Uncle Peeta, I will talk to her. I am sorry I didn't mean to hurt you."

I wipe my eyes, and gather myself. "I will be fine, just give me a minute."

We walk for a while. It wasn't till we were almost home Prim spoke again, and I had completely recovered my composure. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Ok, I think today is the day for that kind of thing."

Prim asked, "What is Tess to you?"

At that Katniss, turned and watched me closely. I knew that she had been wanting to ask this of me for a while. When ever Tess came over Katniss would just disappear. She didn't have to say anything to me but I knew what she was thinking. After so much time together I felt I could really read her mind. She was torn between dreams. Sometimes when we are together, especially in the forest I can feel her love and desire, I know I just have to reach out and she would be there for me. But when ever I get too close her armor goes up and I can see her second dream. She wants me to move on, she wants to see me happily married off. I know Katniss I know how strong she is, she never wavers from doing what she thinks is right, no matter how much it hurts her, and I can feel that hurt. I also had two dreams, both I didn't share with her, I knew it would go badly, my dream is someday I will be strong enough to bring Katniss back permanently. I know it is possible, I could make her into something so real that no-one, even her, would know the difference. I constantly push back my second dream, I can feel it sometimes when me and Tess walk through the town, sometimes when she joins me to paint with me, and when we dance it is very strong. Just like Katniss I am determined not to give in to one of my dreams.

"Wow, we are getting personal today! No, No it's ok. Tess is a marvelous girl, she makes me feel young again. She looks out for me and I have learn to depend on her. In public she acts like we are closer than we are, because she thinks it will protect me."

Prim give a sly smile and says, "I think she REALLY likes you."

Katniss chimes in, "Peeta, she does love you."

"I think so too."

Prim asks, "So do you think you two might some day get together?"

"I have prayed a lot about it, and I think Katniss would like me, you, and your mother to thrive. While she was alive she did all she could for us and now she would like to see that her sacrifice was enough. From here out we can love again, grow families, and be happy, thanks to her. I think she would picture me with a family of my own, with children, and that would make her happy. But for me, for now, I can't do it. Maybe someday me and Tess, or some other girl, may make a family, but not now. Part of me can't give up on Katniss even now. I know it sounds crazy but I just can't let go. Sometimes I think Tess will move on and I will have have blown it, but I just can't."

Katniss looks sad for a second, turns around, and disappears.

"No pressure, but I think you would be a great dad. And I would love to have some nieces and _nephews_."


	14. Banshees

**Banshees**  
The night was quite as all nights were in District 12. Nothing disturbed the night, certainly not the soldiers hidden on the side of the road in two covered trucks. The trucks were normally used to make deliveries but were borrowed tonight by the agents of District 13. They were parked on the side of the road, in front of a large two story wooden house. Marcus and Remu were in the front of the first truck. Remu watched the two multi-spectrum displays in his lap, one showed the neighborhood, the other the people moving around inside the house. The people of the house had now stop moving and the lights were going off, they obviously were going to sleep.

Remu asked, "Why are we here?"

Marcus looked puzzled by the question and answered, "To get information from these people."

Remu put away the displays and asked, "No I mean this whole mission. The story you gave at camp wasn't very believable. What are we doing here?"  
"I will give you an answer, but it will cost you. They didn't give me an exec, how would you like that job. There will be no extra pay, and if we get caught you must die, but on the plus side everyone will have to call you sir, and you will get to know how deep the shit is we're in."

Remu got a big smile and said, "If we get caught, do I get to shoot you before I shoot myself?"

Marcus got a little upset at the thought of dying but played along. "Sure. Why not? Someone will have to do it."

Marcus pulled a small tablet from his shirt, pressed his thumb to it's front and whispered to the device. "Ok, your turn, put you thumb on the red spot so it can sample your DNA and then whisper two things to the device, one true, one untrue. What you say must not be verifiable or guessable by anyone including me. The true statement will be your login from now on, if you ever say the false statement to the device again it will self destruct. If I die you must take my ring and the tablet, the ring must be worn by a living registered officer, and within 10 meters of the tablet at all times. I gave you a battle field promotion and upgraded your security rating to 5e. 6 is for the presidents eyes only. After you login ask for the file Götterdämmerung."

After a little reading Remu asked, "Sir, this report it refers to Banshees and Surans, what do they have to do with one another?"

Marcus slowly shook his head, "Really! They don't teach anything about history in school anymore do they. You know after the war I think I will spend the rest of my life as a history teacher, god knows this country needs history teachers."

Remu showed his lack of tack again and said, "Sir..."

"They are two names for the same thing. Back in the old world there was a group of people who called themselves Surans, because they had medical devices made by the "Suran Medical Industries, Inc", other people called them Banshee's because of their nasty habit of screaming."

"Screaming?", Remu queried.

"Ok. When they screamed it was a psychic scream. People for miles around would hear the scream with their heads not their ears, and it would stun and frighten them so that most people would run away in fear."

Remu face light up, "Wow, now I remember something about that. When I was a kid, other kids would tell stories about screaming monsters. I thought they were full of crap."

Marcus took on his teacher's voice and started, "The story goes like this. Long ago, back in the old world, back when the world was filled with billions of people, and technological wonders beyond our dreams, the Suran Medical company created a series of microscopic robots, nanobots, to operate on individual cells. These nanobots could fix most any problem a cell was having, up to and including reanimation of a cell. There were other companies doing the same thing at the time, but the Suran company added a wrinkle, a sentient computer they would add to a person's body to direct the nanobots, the InterDoc. The InterDoc was specifically designed for brain injuries. When someone had a bad brain injury they would insert the InterDoc and it would find all the damaged brain cells and fix them all up, and then people have to have half their brain blown away before things got serious."

"Sounds great! But something went wrong, I am guessing.", Remu said.

"Yeah, the InterDoc worked great, too great. The InterDoc didn't stop after fixing all injuries, it started to find inefficiencies it could fix, and improvements it could make. Soon the people with the device were smarter than anyone else. Then the InterDoc found under used abilities in the brain, psychic abilities it could improve on. So now these people were smarter than everyone else, had psychic abilities. After a while they learned to hijack other people's minds and make them see things."

Remu said, "Wow, so that is how the old world ended!"

"No, the human race at this point split into two camps, humans and Surans, but for a while the peace held. We don't know who or what started the great war, but when people started dying by the billions, that is when the Surans decided that if only a few would survived they would be Surans. After the great war, what was left of humans, was halved again by the war with the Surans. When we fought the Surans we depended on mass attacks over long periods to over-come there abilities. In other words we let them kill us all day until they got really tired, and then one huge push. Since they could make our soldiers see what ever they wanted, we had to train our soldiers to throw down there weapons as soon as they saw anything weird, like their mother with a birthday cake. They were trained to sit there and wait for death, if they picked up a weapon they would just be fooled into killing a fellow soldier. At least while they were sitting there they were keeping a Suran's mind busy."

Remu said, "And what does that have to do with us, and Peeta Mellark."

"All use of nanobots or InterDoc have been banned since the war. No one, not even Snow would dare to get near that stuff, until Doctor Lucus came along. The good doctor was convinced he could cripple the nanobots and InterDoc to the point they would fix the person's brain and go to sleep. He convinced some in the government to let him do animal research on his theories, I am confident without President Snow even knowing about it. At the end of the last Hunger Game a series of things happened that I wont go into now, and low and behold Peeta Mellark gets a InterDoc."

Remu said, "So you think Peeta Mellark, is the last Suran... or should I say Banshee. It may not be a bad thing. Hell, maybe the doctor is right and it did no more than fix his brain, or even if he becomes a full Suran, he seems like a nice kid, he might be a real help."

"The last war with Surans almost caused the extinction of humans. I don't believe just because they have special powers they are evil, I believe because they have special powers we will never be at peace with them. The Surans might have been better then us in many ways, but all the evil in us is still in them. Peeta Mellark is the first, but soon as people know its an option, ever over ambitious parent will want their child to have that advantage. They will naturally beat us at everything they want to do, and we will hate them for it. For their part they will totally distrust us. Sooner or later there will be another war, and given the numbers the end may leave the earth to the apes."

Remu tried to make a small joke, "I wonder how well the apes will do? What is this section about Katniss Everdeen doing here?"

"He believes that the female tribute, Katniss Everdeen, is a ghost and visits him. We stole a report on him and his psychosis. It is full of observations by the doctors of him talking to her, during his recovery up to the time he returned home."

Remu interrupted with, "Oh my god, he is insane! Poor kid. I guess it is too much to ask of anyone to come out of those games whole. …... Or are you going to tell me Surans can talk to the dead."

Marcus replied, "No, dead is dead. But Surans can make you see anything they want. I guess you wont be surprise if I told you half of the nurses tending to him were on anti-psychotics, by the time he left."

"So when you were about to shoot Peeta Mellark earlier, you were trying to kill, a psychotic Banshee who you believe will cause the end of mankind. Is that a fair statement.", Remu said.

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you do it."

Marcus paused wondering how honest he should be, "Maybe because my orders are to co-op Peeta Mellark. Maybe because he really is a sweet boy, and none of this is his fault. Maybe I started to doubt myself, when I came face to face with Katniss Everdeen. Something in my gut, not my brain, said she's real. Enough of this for now I think its time we visit these people."

The signal was given and the two trucks were silently emptied. With sure fast motions the two groups split, one to enter the back door and another through the front.


	15. Meet and Greet

**Meet and Greet**

Men were going from dark room to dark room, when they found a sleeping person they quickly drugged them with a shot from a needle, until they found the man they were looking for. Outside the house no sound or light gave warning to any neighbors. The house was relatively large and it took them a while to search every room of both floors.

Marcus was nervous and started pacing back and forth in the dark kitchen. He knew what he was trying to do here was very hard to get right. The correct way to interrogate people involved a long process of questions and cross verifying facts, but he only will have a couple of hours at best. Scared people can freeze up and say nothing, they can just sit there and scream, or they can just make up what ever they think you want to hear, he needed to manage this carefully. What he needed was to make this more about surprise than fear. He moved a chair to the middle of the kitchen, put a spot lite on the ceiling to make sure the prisoner wont be able to see anything when we place him in the chair. Soon one of the soldiers comed down with a man all tied up and gagged. Marcus compares the prisoner's face to his picture and pointed to the chair. One large man took position behind the prisoner in the chair.

Marcus took off his hood and got down so he is looking up at the prisoner. He looked at a rather chubby face for the district, with blond hair, and wild scared darting eyes. Marcus knew he needed to calm him down before getting started. "Before we talk I want you to know we mean you and your family no harm. When we leave later we plan to have you, your wife, and daughters all safe. Right now the girls are all in a heavy drug induced sleep, but perfectly safe. We are not interested in anything you own and have no association with the government. We don't plan on ever telling you who we are. All we want is some information. If you agree I will have my friend remove your gag and we can get this over with." The scared man nodded. "Your name is Opal Nod, your 47 years old, you have a wife Mary, two daughters Sarah and Jan, and you run a funeral home out of this house. Is that all true?"

The man behind Opal removed the gag, and for a second it looked like he might scream. Then "Yes. Who are you people? What do you want?"

As Marcus stood up. "We have covered that already. Here I will pour you a glass of wine and then we will get started."

Marcus hands Opal a glass of wine from a bottle Marcus found in the kitchen. Marcus and his whole crew watched him down the wine with one large single swig. "Do you know Sam Jac?"

Opal looked very confused. Marcus could see that he expected another question, and would give a year's salary to know what that question was. "Yes... Last year he was one of the tributes. We buried him."

"Good. Now I want you to explain what you did for him after he returned."

"Well we prepared the body then...", Nod continue.

"Excuse me, talk about the body first, in what condition was the body, how was it delivered?"

"Like every year he came back in a wooden crate. We removed the body...", Nod a little more confused said.

"Excuse me, did you or the Capital embalm him."

"He camed embalmed. Then we cleaned the body, dressed it, applied makeup, and just made him presentable."

"Good. Then what."

"We placed him in a coffin and did the viewing."

"Good."

"After the viewing we buried him and put up a grave stone."

"Great. You are doing great. Your feeling better aren't you. Now who payed for all this."

"For tributes the district always pays for the funeral."

Marcus nodded to one of the soldiers in the dark, who opened a bag, and throwed out a body. The body of what must have been a young girl with long dark hair, was pushed forward so that it fell right on Opal. The soldier grabbed Opal's mouth so he couldn't scream. The half decomposed head of the girl lands in his lap, then slides down to lay against his legs. The smell was over-whelming and everyone but Opal and Marcus already had nose plugs. Marcus planned this to keep Opal from being able to think enough to lie, but right now found it hard to think himself.

Marcus now yelled, "Ok, Opal, do you recognize this girl!"

Opal was trying hard to scream but the man's grip on his mouth didn't move, he just shook his head.

Now with almost dis-interest, Marcus said "Please take a moment and look. I think you know this girl."

Slowly the man behind Opal loosen his grip, and Opal said, "She's Katniss."

Again Marcus on down to look up at Opal's face. "Why is she not embalmed?"

Opal was obviously now confused and scared. "I don't know that is the way the Capital sent her."

"Have they ever sent a body unembalmed before."

"No. I don't know anything."

Marcus picked up the girl's hand to show the girl's long manicured nails to Opal. "Who is this girl?"

Marcus nodded to one of the other soldiers in the dark kitchen. The soldier picked up the girl and pushed her head right next to Opals and opened her mouth to show the gold tooth in her mouth. Marcus again, "I am going to ask one more time. Who is this girl?"

Opal closes his eyes and yells. "Please take her away. I didn't do anything, this is the body they sent to me."

"Is this Katniss!"

"No, I don't know who she is."

Marcus signaled the soldier with the body bag and the body was removed and placed back in it's bag.

"So they sent you an unembalmed body of some other girl. So you called them about their mistake, it was just a simple mixup of bodies right?"

Opal's head hanged, he knew he had been caught in a lie. "No I didn't say anything to the Capital."

"Tell me why."

"When we got the body, there was a letter inside. It said they had saved Katniss and begged whoever got the body to cover for them."

"What else did it say."

"It had a section for Caroline, Katniss's mom. It said Katniss must never returned to the district and she would never see her again, but maybe someday it might be possible to get a message through."

"So that is why Katniss did not have a viewing of the body."

"Yes."

"Good, you are doing good. Did you show the letter to Caroline?"

"No I destroyed it right after I read it, but I told her what it said."

"So Caroline Everdeen, you, and who else knows Katniss is alive now."

"No one."

Marcus looked tired as he said. "I will forgive you for that lie. I bet anything that at least your wife knows, but that is not important. You must believe I am not your enemy. I don't want anything bad to happen to you or your family. For that reason I suggest that you not tell anyone else about Katniss or us." Opel nodded. The soldier behind him stabs him with a needle and Opel falls instantly asleep.

"Ok, people, you did great, but we need to clean up the whole house and get this girl back in the ground before sunrise, so get moving." Marcus said as everyone started running around removing the body and cleaning up everything.

Remu handed Marcus 100 credits. "Well you won again. So Katniss is alive now what."

"So now we find her! She must have an InterDoc too to endure the poison. Right now just like Peeta she is discovering what she can do, and we need to be watching her."

"Why do you suppose they sent back Peeta but not Katniss?"

"I don't know, but the people who have her are obviously not with the government. Maybe they are one of the groups we are already working with, and this will be easy, or maybe not. Do you think Peeta knows, do you think all this grieving about is an act!"

"Now you say that, I have to admit, I do believe he is in mourning. But that doesn't make sense they both are banchees, so they can talk to each other via their psychic powers. It was his talking to her that convinced me that she was alive and we should dig up the grave. But if he is talking to her how can he be in morning?"

"Your just mad because he fooled you. For the first time in your life someone faked you out."

"Maybe. But I doubt it. It's as if she didn't tell him she is alive, like she was fooling him."

Remu got a big joking smile, "Or maybe she doesn't know she is alive."

"Your right I am over-thinking this, once we find her it will all get clear."


End file.
